Mark Of The Snake
by V Lynne
Summary: children of our heroes/heroines/enemies face off in a whole new outlook on Hogwarts by Roe, Trey, Damon, James, Sebastian, and others....very mature gets into sexual situations and others...
1. Back At Hogwarts

AN: This is a future fic, that has to do with the kids of our heroes/heroines/enemies. Alot of changes, couples that you might never have been together are and angst, romance, and drama headed your way. Please note now that I am keeping with all the teachers in the books, its easier that way and using most of the same potions and spells that we all know so well.  
  
DISC: I do not own anything to do with Harry Potter, that is strictly all the JK Rowling's deal. Could you imagine me writing a fan fic if I did? No, neither can I.  
  
Mark Of The Snake  
  
Part 1: Back at Hogwarts  
  
Written by: V Lynne  
  
echoinghearts@yahoo.com  
  
~  
  
A young girl of the age of sixteen stood between the platforms of nine and ten of King's Cross, patiently waiting for her mother to catch up. Her hand resting on a small pushcart that had all her essential school supplies, clothes, and miscellaneous items that she'd need though the busy school year. Another year at that prestigious school of magic known to the magic world as Hogwarts. Not exactly the kind of school she wished to go to, most of the time she wished she could just be a normal teen rather than one with magic ability that surpassed her own genius mother. Growing up in New York rather than England had that effect on a kid, even if she had grown up knowing that at age eleven she would be accepted into Hogwarts, become a witch, and learn all about the world she felt rather removed from.  
  
The breeze on the platform picked up, causing an escaped hair to blow in the wind before crossing in front of her face so that she tucked the multi- colored brown hair behind her ear. Sighing in impatience at her usually punctual mother, she glanced at her leather band wristwatch and knew she had less than ten minutes in order to be on platform 9 3/4 for the Hogwarts Express.  
  
Hearing the sound of someone walking faster than normal, she turned to see her mother who was in a very elegant tan skirt suit with her own hair, a range of light brown to deep auburn, pulled into a nice neat bun with loose curly strands of hair framing her face. In her hand, of the otherwise perfect picture of a successful businesswoman, was a wire birdcage that hid inside a black owl with gray markings known as Mercury.  
  
Coming to rest next to her teenage daughter, Hermione Granger gave a half- smile at the raised eyebrow of her daughter's way of saying 'How unlike my mother you are acting'.  
  
"Are you sure you didn't forget anything?" Hermione launched into full mother-worry mode, "I managed to get Mercury just in time but if you forgot anything else it will more than likely have to wait until I get home to send to you by owl."  
  
"Mom," the teenager quipped, "I'm sure I can buy whatever I forgot in Hogsmeade. I have enough sickles and galleons to last until you replenish my account, causing more envy and judgmental opinions headed my way by having a mother who thinks having that much money in my account is a good thing. You'd think I was a heavy spender or something the way you keep giving me money."  
  
Hermione glanced at the almost amused tone in her daughter's tone. True maybe she did over do making sure that her daughter had enough money but it was her job, as a mother, to make sure that her daughter didn't have to worry about money problems. She'd seen enough in her life time, being around the Weasley family, that having money was not so important as family but when she couldn't be in England, near her daughter it helped to know that she wouldn't have to worry about her daughter going without.  
  
"Alright, Roe, maybe I was going a tad overboard."  
  
"A tad? Try over-kill, Mom."  
  
A chuckle met the girl's comment and both females turned to see a red- haired man putting a fist to his mouth in order to hide the widening smirk on his slightly freckled face. Beside him were two children, no doubt that they were his giving that both had red hair though the elder of the two, the boy was more sorrel in color with blue eyes dancing in hidden laughter. Behind them were two identical carts full of chests and supplies, no doubt that both were headed the same way the girl was.  
  
"Sounds like you, 'Mione." Ronald Weasley told one of his oldest and best friends.  
  
"No one asked you, Ron." Hermione shot back, then gave a slight blush at how juvenile she was behaving.  
  
"Nice to know that she has immature moments, too," her daughter stated, before seeing her mother's glare.  
  
"Did you have fun this summer, Roe?" Sebastian Weasley, the middle child and only son of Ron and Lavender asked.  
  
"New York is always a blast in the summer," Roe glanced at her mom, "Mom's going back and guess what?" Roe grinned, "I get to spend winter break with you."  
  
Sebastian cast a look at his dad who was openly putting on an innocent face.  
  
"Ask your mother. She and Hermione were the ones to decide it." Ron insisted at his son's hopeless expression.  
  
"More females in the house. Bloody wonderful." Sebastian muttered under his breath that was caught by Roe and Sebastian's fourteen-year-old sister, Winfrith. Roe elbowed him in the side as they stood together, letting their parents talk.  
  
"Hate to break up this touching reunion," Roe teased as she saw her mom and 'Uncle' Ron getting into another heated argument, "but we've got a train to catch."  
  
Hermione paused in her discussion with Ron to hug her daughter to her, whispering in the younger and she liked to admit, prettier version of herself's ear, "Send my love."  
  
Roe pulled back, "I will. I'll owl when I get there, just make sure that Grandma keeps an window open. Mercury hates to have to peck at the upstairs window."  
  
Ron was hugging Winfrith and then nodded to Sebastian, knowing his son would hate to get caught hugging. As the two adults moved aside the three took turns entering the brick divide, past the mist of fog and onto the 9 3/4 platform where the conductor was already calling for everyone to get aboard. Roe stopped right in front of the platform entrance as she caught sight of the one person she detested having to spend any amount of time in the same vicinity as. Damon Malfoy, archenemy to her and her friends taking after his father in that respect. Feeling a sharp tug on her lace vest, still in normal clothes as she called them hating to say 'Muggle' clothes, Roe moved just as Sebastian passed through the barrier. Roe gave a thankful look to Winfrith, who was openly staring at the nemesis of her sibling, cousin and girl she considered her second sister.  
  
"The Malfoy bloodline sure knows how to make a guy be the center of female attention." Winfrith admired, as her brother followed his sister and best friend's line of sight then scrawled.  
  
"Malfoy," Sebastian spat.  
  
"Gee, don't hold in your feelings, 'Bastian, do tell us how you feel." Roe teased, as he let his eyes rest on his outgoing friend.  
  
"Never said I was one to hold my emotions in, Roe."  
  
"Good, then let's get on the train before I have a sudden urge to hex him."  
  
"If only you would let go of those verbal impulses and just do it." Sebastian commented, as they gave their carts to the loading men and climbed aboard.  
  
"Does it look like I want to start World War III with Malfoy? Sorry but I'm making sure that this year I keep myself as far removed from Snake Charmer as possible."  
  
Walking down the narrow train hallway, opening an empty compartment and settling inside. Leaning with her back to the window, Roe pulled out the shrunk walkman c.d player and put antidote potion on it so that it was again the size it was supposed to be, bringing the ear plugs to her ears but paused at Sebastian and Winfrith's identical expressions of astonishment.  
  
"What?"  
  
"You do know that bringing Muggle devices to school or even to Hogsmeade and Hogwarts is forbidden, right?"  
  
"Don't Muggle things like that not even work at Hogwarts?"  
  
Roe gave a mischievous smirk.  
  
"Maybe not before but I figured how to get around that inconvenience."  
  
"And just how are you going to do that?"  
  
"Simple, I put a Magic Spell on it to make the whole Magic around the school recognize this as a Magic object rather than a normal..." Roe corrected herself as she saw Winfrith's face take on a confused look at Roe's lapse in calling something she considered normal exactly that normal, so she added the word that they used, "rather than a Muggle device. I refuse to go another day of not listening to music simply because we aren't supposed to."  
  
"But they have that rule there for a reason, Roe, we aren't Muggles."  
  
Roe rolled her eyes, seeing Sebastian unconvinced sigh, before putting the ear plugs in her ears and setting the volume on high so that everything but the music was drowned out. Resting the back of her head against the cool glass, the lavish green country side passing behind her with the two Weasley siblings sitting across from her, Roe drifted into her music but as soon as the shadow of someone coming to the sliding compartment door she murmured the invincible spell so that her c.d walkman disappeared as a deep auburn haired girl with violet eyes opened the door, already in the robes of Hogwarts entered.  
  
"Nice to see the three of you made it," the elder girl announced, glancing at the still Muggle clothed Roe, "seems only you three had the right idea to get on board unlike Potter."  
  
That got Roe's attention.  
  
"James isn't on the train?"  
  
"Wouldn't seem so or else he'd be with you three, wouldn't he?"  
  
Sebastian gave an irritated glare at his elder sister.  
  
"Nereida, why don't you go find someone else to bug?"  
  
"Loved to, little brother," Nereida grinned at the automatic narrowed eyes of Sebastian at the hated saying, "but I came to tell the two of you that you better get your robes on, make sure the Prefect badges are clearly on straight and in sight when you get off."  
  
Shutting the door after her, Roe shook her head at the bossy nature of the eldest of Ron Weasley's offspring. Nereida was as bossy, stuck-up and opinionated as a girl could get that it amazed her that she got Head Girl this year when Nereida was not a people person.  
  
"You are a Prefect, too?"  
  
"Sure, Winnie," Roe said, "wouldn't want your big brother to feel all alone as a Prefect in Gryffindor, now would I?"  
  
"Aren't Prefects supposed to set good examples?" Winfrith wondered glancing at Roe's now appearing Muggle music player.  
  
"Don't go by what I do, kiddo, it'll only cause you trouble."  
  
"You're telling me," Sebastian added, "with her being a Prefect no rule is beyond her own interpretation of what it means."  
  
"Hey," Roe protested, "tell me again who you had to brown-nose to in order to be Prefect, cause as I remember right you were one point off from getting a perfect mark in Potions that you begged Professor Snape to raise your score and secured your Prefect status."  
  
Winnie coughed to hide her laugh at the reddening of Sebastian's guilty cheeks.  
  
"Remind me never to tell you anything ever again."  
  
"Absolutely, babe." Roe winked.  
  
Winnie was laughing openly at that, when a loud noise outside the compartment got their attention as Sebastian pulled open the door and saw Damon Malfoy with his groupies, as Roe liked to call them, two of them Sebastian recognized as William Avery and Corin Bletchley. Malfoy was openly suggestively commenting on Juliette Abbott's new look that his provocative statements were causing his goons to smirk, as the fifth year Hufflepuff blushed having just walked into them with four other fifth years.  
  
"You know, it isn't nice to accost people in hallways." Roe stated, coming out of the compartment with Sebastian as Winnie peaked around the door.  
  
"How would you know, Granger? You aren't exactly the type to be subjected to being accosted." Malfoy shot back, his eyes raking over Roe's appearance before seeing the fire in Sebastian's at the blatant sexual appraisal.  
  
"Well, thank Merlin for that. At least I will be able to sleep at night knowing that I don't have to worry about snakes," Roe's comment was pointed that no one misunderstood who she was talking about, "now if your done with your little intimidation of Juliette, whose boyfriend I think you know is a seventh year in Gryffindor and has no love for Slytherin, I'd say that maybe you should head back to whatever rock you crawled out from under."  
  
Malfoy took a step forward, then another until he was within arms distance of Roe, a lazy cat-like gleam in his stone-gray eyes.  
  
"Getting brave for a Mudblood's offspring, aren't you?"  
  
Sebastian took a menacing movement forward to get between the petite Roe and tall Malfoy.  
  
"As much as I'm love to trade insults about our parentage, I'll have to pass, wouldn't want to bring up the whole Death Eaters and cold, egotistical self-serving jackasses in your family line now would I?"  
  
Winnie gasped at Roe's right as Malfoy only inclined his head, accepting the blow to his family before lowering his voice.  
  
"Seems the summer in the Muggle America has made you brave, Granger, just remember that if all else fails curses work wonders on pathetic Mudbloods and their children. If you want me to I can always arrange a intervention between your Mudblood mother and some personal friends of mine."  
  
"Touch my mother," Roe's voice was as enraged and cold as his own, "and there won't be a big enough hole for you to hide in."  
  
"Taking a little too much after Potter, I'm thinking," Malfoy concluded pulling back and letting Sebastian and Winnie hear that before quieting his voice so that only Roe heard his next words, "what do you suppose I should tell Potter about you, Granger? Still lusting after your best friend? Sexual frustration got to you?"  
  
"Like he'd believe anything a Malfoy would say, notarize liars, cheaters and scum of the earth."  
  
At that, Roe could see his normally smirk, confident cat-like self-become agitated before recovering.  
  
"But attractive, wealthy and powerful unlike petite nosy brunettes with a tendency for trouble."  
  
"If you call being a Death Eater attractive as well as being so colorless in hair and eyes that you'd blend right in with innocent snow fall although you'd taint it by being a Malfoy. Why don't you do the world a favor and take a long walk off a short pier, wouldn't want Aurors to find out that you are one step away from being just like your miserable excuse for a wizard father, now would we?"  
  
The motion of the train was slowing and had people coming out of the compartments that Juliette had disappeared although Malfoy's supporter Slytherin, a group of five still stood not ten feet away.  
  
Nereida headed down the hallway, which caused Malfoy to smile an emotionless calculated tug of his lips, at Roe.  
  
"Looking forward to putting you in your place, Granger. Be careful your foolhardy ways don't endanger Wuss Weasley and Pampered Potter."  
  
With that he turned on the heel of his booted feet and headed back to their own compartments.  
  
"Do I have to repeat myself? Go put your robes on!" Nereida demanded.  
  
"Alright, alright," Sebastian pacified, "come on, Roe."  
  
Winnie watched the retreating figures of her brother and Roe with apprehension. Knowing how much Roe and Malfoy didn't get along, the understatement of the century, she was surprised that it hadn't come to hexes right then and there. If there was one person Malfoy detested more than Roe it was James. Sometimes Winnie caught Malfoy looking at her oblivious friend with something akin to like, even respect. Everyone knew how charming this Malfoy was, always a perfect sentence to cause blushing girls and admiring looks from other guys. That he couldn't charm his way into Roe's good graces, let alone Sebastian and James's had to rake on his nerves. Roe, Bastian and James were an institution to themselves, the offspring of the three most talented Aurors to live since the Dark Times. Even though Hermione Granger was only an Auror for three years, until she was pregnant with Roe, she was still working with on the side of being an author of many books both for the world of Magic and the one of Muggles. Winnie's Uncle Harry was still a great Auror as was Winnie's own dad, though she wondered why her cousin James was not on the train. It was so not like James that she was starting to worry. Having a famous name like Potter didn't help his life, even though You-Know-Who was no longer after Harry since his demise years ago it still made the whole Potter family subjects of many articles and inquiries. Poor Aunt Ginny had enough to deal with as a member of the Ministry of Magic without the added pressures of being sought after simply because by marriage she was now a Potter. Winnie knew that Malfoy, Draco Malfoy, hated Harry as much if not more than He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, their rivalry was a legend of Hogwarts now. So that his son, Damon Malfoy, was just as hated by Roe, Bastian and James as he hated them was no surprise the surprise to Winnie was that Damon had depths she was sure not even he knew. She caught it when she was staring at another Slytherin who barely knew she was alive. Glances at the Gryffindor table an almost wistful gleam in his eye, his expression never changed of emotionless acceptance but his eyes told her the entire story of his hidden degrees. Wondering if any of her relatives or Roe would pick up on it was a waiting game cause to them he was a Malfoy. Malfoy's had no emotions, were horrible, Death Eaters with power-hunger in the blue blood that chorused through their pureblood veins. That was how they were seen as because honestly, who was going to try to get inside of their head and who would want to. It was a shame, Winnie thought, because if she thought she had the smallest chance with Damon Malfoy she would be in his head so quick but unfortunately she had a feeling the only girl that Damon had a connection to wouldn't touch him with a fifty-foot broom.  
  
~  
  
As Roe pulled off her long red-lace vest that was made to look like a hooded cloak with a white mid-drift tank top, hip-hugger jeans with knee high suede boots, sunglasses pushing her hair back from her face and the long length of hair put into one long braid that came to the middle of her back. Setting the red-lace aside she pulled on her robe over the rest of her clothes, smoothing the material with her palm and magically attached the Prefect badge to the robe. Seeing Sebastian struggling to get the badge perfectly aligned on the robe, Roe sighed before she heard the unmistakable sound of a snap, as the silver badge broke in two. Sebastian growled at the badge being broken in half do to his strength and impatience.  
  
"Reparo!"  
  
The badge was repaired and Roe took it from Sebastian's hand before using her wand to get it in place and placed the attachment spell on it. Seeing his sheepish blush, the hint of pink lighting his soft tan, Roe grinned.  
  
"Patience is a virtue," Roe remarked, "but who ever said it was practical?"  
  
"Funny," Sebastian sarcastically replied.  
  
"I thought so."  
  
The train came to a complete stop so Sebastian grabbed the slim boned wrist of Roe's left hand and headed out of the train. Hogsmeade Station was a buzz of excitement, nervousness, and greetings as the many students exited. The over-shadowing figure of the near-giant Rubeus Hagrid awaited the first year students, although he was nearly eighty he certainly didn't look it. His rough voice called out to the three, his eyes glancing over the student population and Roe could almost see his question forming of 'Where was James'. Mouthing a 'Don't Know' before he could ask, Roe turned her attention back to getting out of the station and up to Hogwarts.  
  
Winnie, ever popular as she was sweet and kind, was surrounded by other fourth years while Sebastian and Roe went their own way to Hogwarts. The entrance of the school bringing back old feelings of reluctance, Roe walked in with Sebastian unknown to her, watching her with worry. The stone floors, arched hallways, thousands of paintings with moving characters, statues and armor displayed everywhere things that were unmistakably Hogwarts.  
  
Reaching the Great Hall, the ceiling a display of the perfect afternoon sky of white fluffy clouds and pale blue, with the direct line of sight towards the High Table, where the faculty sat patiently. Four long empire tables furnished the student body collection, with long bench seats for easier access with the banner of each House displayed overhead. Slytherin with the Snake, Ravenclaw with the Eagle, Hufflepuff with the Badger and Gryffindor with the Lion. Walking towards Gryffindor, Sebastian answered the question he knew was buzzing in Roe's head.  
  
"James isn't here."  
  
Roe questioned, "Then where is he? I swear that when I get my hands on James I'm gonna..."  
  
"Gonna what, Roe?" the husky, male voice of the person in question.  
  
Instantly all her anger at him was gone as she turned to glance into the deep jade-green eyes, the raven hair falling into his left eye, his appearance of being confident without being cocky and physically one of the most attractive guys at school. His smile cut straight to her heart, the response he always caused, and she was enfolded in his strong arms, her head on his chest.  
  
"Miss me, eh?" James gloated.  
  
"Miss you? Why would I ever do that?" Roe removed herself from his warmth, as he shot a grin at Sebastian, "I think that you think entirely too high of yourself, Potter."  
  
"Oh, really? Well, in that case," James signaled for Sebastian to follow him, "we won't bother to save you a seat at the table."  
  
Her eyes spoke of murder as she followed them, James's teasing at an end as he sat between the now seated Roe and Sebastian with Winnie across from them.  
  
"Are you gonna tell us just why you decided not to be like the rest of us mortals and take the Express?" Sebastian inquired.  
  
James only gave a small smile, as Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, the man with a long white beard, kind mischievous eyes dressed in blue robes, stood to announce the entrance of the first years. As the regal Professor Minerva McGonagall entered, followed by about twenty or so first years wearing identical expressions of being uncomfortable with being the center of attention. Directly up to a stool where the Sorting Hat sat, the old wizard's hat assigned to separate every entering first year into one of the four houses. Standing aside the Sorting Hat, Prof. McGonagall called out the first name on the list.  
  
Not really all that interested, although she cheered when Gryffindor proceeded after a named first year, James nudged her when the name of who he had been waiting so patiently and quietly to hear was announced. With a sort of pride in Prof. McGonagall's voice she called out the name of the next first year.  
  
"Lily Potter!"  
  
In shock, Roe and Sebastian glanced at James before watching avidly at James's baby sister, as she self-consciously sat on the stool that Sorting Hat talking, mumbling then with the conclusion met announced her house.  
  
"Gryffindor!"  
  
Squealing with delight, Winnie stood up then as Lily, her dark hair highlighted with the deep auburn of her Weasley mother, her green eyes bright came she instantly saw Winnie and then Roe with James and Sebastian. Roe turned in her seat to give the eleven-year-old a hug.  
  
"Oh, Roe, it's the bestest! I knew I'd get into Gryffindor like Dad, Mom and James did and I did!"  
  
The excited words of Lily came as no surprise to her, knowing how much natural talent Lily had and it was only natural that Lily would be in the house that was such a big part of the whole Potter-Weasley family.  
  
Moving over so that Lily could slid in, Roe saw James smile reassuring at his little sister, who seemed so excited and apart of Gryffindor already that Roe couldn't help but wonder why she had never been like Lily. Didn't feel as if it was a big deal when she turned eleven and for the first three months so resentful of being sent to Hogwarts she actually refused to talk to anybody. Roe accepted it now, couldn't imagine not being here in Gryffindor with all her friends, being the Seeker for the Quidditch team and best friend to Sebastian and James but in her heart she would love to be able to be a normal kid.  
  
As the ceremony of the Sorting Hat ended, Dumbledore proclaimed what he did every year.  
  
"Congratulations to all our new first years, we hope your houses become everything you imagined them to be. As always the Forbidden Forest is out of bounds for students, as well as going out after dark unless you have special permission......."  
  
As he drilled on, Roe tuned him out covering a yawn with her hand until he stopped and announced something that Roe had yet to hear of.  
  
"The Yule Ball this year will be held at Beauxbatons, as a good will gesture and symbol that all the schools are united. Durmstrang will also be there and as usual only fourth years and above may attend. We will be arriving there two days before the Ball and leave the day after. If you do not have dates," Dumbledore grinned, "you may find yourself a date with one of the students from one of the other schools. But an amendment to this is that each House will start out with three hundred points, that you can only go down to two hundred in order for the House to participate. So watch your points because they will determine which houses get to attend."  
  
As talk started, Dumbledore announced loudly so that it caught everyone's attention.  
  
"Professor Snape will be teaching both Potions and Defense against Dark Arts, until we can find an acceptable teacher for Potions. And with that said," he paused, "Tuck In."  
  
Food appeared but as it did Roe found herself losing her appetite. Pushing the mashed potatoes around on her plate, Sebastian cast a worried glance at James nodding to Roe, but before either boy could do anything she excused herself from the table at the protests of many Gryffindors and left the Great Hall. As she cleared the large doors, she rounded the corner and leaned against the stone cold hallway wall breathing in shallow breaths. Sensing that someone was walking towards the exit of the Great Hall, she immediately headed to the stairs to the 7th floor where the Gryffindor common room entrance was.  
  
The pink silk dress of the portrayed Fat Lady who protects the entrance to Gryffindor sat inconveniently in the way of Roe's escape. Cursing herself for not paying attention to what the password Nereida told her earlier she was forced to make a U-turn and headed back down the hall, towards the Library. Madam Pince was still at the feast so the entire rather spacious library was blessedly empty and quiet. Grabbing out the book she shrunk into her pocket earlier, a 'Muggle' book entitled Ancient Artifacts of Greece, she sprinkled the anti potion on the book from the vial in her left pocket of her jeans and it enlarged to its normal size. Taking out her c.d. player she levitated it above the large table she was going to be reading at and set the music to play without ear plugs that way she could listen to it. Getting on the table, she closed her eyes levitating her body above the table then as she opened her eyes, gave a triumph grin and laid on her stomach, the book open also levitated in front of her and she read while listening to forbidden 'Muggle' music of an old band called Stained, while reading a book she wasn't supposed to also levitating, a Dark Art, two feet above the polished oak table. It was her favorite thing to do at Hogwarts, to levitate while reading usually in the abandoned tower in the farthest corner of Hogwarts that was prohibited. She wasn't against going along with the rules, she was just against going by rules that were stupid. Levitating didn't hurt anybody neither did reading a book about other things besides magic or listening to music with lyrics that were actually more insightful than the practical all Classical music they were forced to dance and sing to.  
  
It had to be about an hour later when the echoing sound of footsteps on the corridor stone reached into Roe's engrossed reading so that she snapped the music off, before floating higher in the air so to be out of sight of anyone. The door opened a faint squeak of the door hinges that obviously needed oil, and then the rush of relief that flooded Roe as she recognized the dark head coming in and closing the door behind him.  
  
"Come on, Roe, I know you're in here. Listening to that screaming music, reading a boring book and floating illegally. You know for a Prefect that's very unwise and setting a bad example for the rest of your House."  
  
Gliding down, hugging her book and c.d. player to her she levitated above her table, staring straight into golden eyes of the only true person who understood her.  
  
"Gee, thanks, Mr. Secrets."  
  
A masked expression on his chiseled face that reminded her of Ares, God of War, his hair was straight with the tendency to curl if it got too long like it was now almost touching his robe at the back of his neck. His eyes saw her and a small smile, as close as he ever came to really smiling, appeared on his stoic face.  
  
"Knew it."  
  
"So, you know me, big freakin whoop."  
  
"Someone spit in your food, Gryffindor? Thought that touching reunion between you and Remarkable Potter went well?"  
  
"You know why does everyone think that me and Jamie have something going on?"  
  
"Because you just called him Jamie, something no one else does or is allowed to do in the case of the last time Weasley tried and got decked. The way your eyes follow him when he enters a room, how he knows you almost as well as I do and the one person you couldn't imagine yourself without."  
  
"Now that's not true," Roe let herself sit flatly on the top of the table, as he pulled out a chair and sat in it backwards with his hands crossing over the back, "you know I couldn't live without Sebastian, Winnie, Lily, Mom, and..." Roe smiled teasing, "you."  
  
"You had me for a moment there, Roe," his tone said she had done nothing of the sort, "thought maybe you were going to say Damon."  
  
"Malfoy? As if."  
  
"So I heard that you and him got into it on the train."  
  
"Couldn't guess where you heard that," Roe slid off the table muttering the spell to shrink her book and player then placing them in her pocket, "must have been that gossip Abbott."  
  
"For someone you defended that's nice to know you think so highly of her."  
  
"I only said that to make a point not to defend airhead gossip queens."  
  
"Point taken."  
  
"What are you doing in here? I thought the last thing you'd ever be expected to be found is with books."  
  
"I was looking for you. Potter and Weasley were worried, could see it in their faces but neither can leave the table as they are Prefects," his eyes rested on the badge on her robe, "which I see didn't stop you."  
  
"Oh, crap I forgot that I have to instruct the first years," Roe remembered, walking towards the exit, "I'll see you later, Slytherin."  
  
As the pretty girl raced out of the Library like a herd of Blast Ended Skrewts were on her tail, the young boy of the House of Slytherin flipped the chair to it's correct position before walking to the door, leaning in the entrance as he saw her disappear around another corridor. No matter what the problems that separated them they knew each other well. Knowing each other since first year but keeping their friendship a guarded privacy, as only Potter and Weasley knew that he saw her outside of the classes they shared. The way he portrayed himself around everyone else was who he was on one level on another, when he was with her, he was on the one he found himself less and less on. He understood she was busy, hell he was just as busy but it pained him that he couldn't spend as much time with her as they had the first four years of school. Her involvement with the sport he barely tolerated was one of the things that caused alot of her time to be split into pieces. Only Potter and Weasley had her mostly to themselves, a thing he was slightly jealous of. He knew that Weasley had a crush on her, had since second year but never acted on it and while Roe and Potter got along great, Potter never saw her as anything else but his best friend. Roe knew it, he had pushed those details in her head at the end of last year but she was stubborn and it was working slowly that she would realize Potter, like his father before him, could never be in love with his best friend. Oh, he knew Potter loved her as did Weasley, but Potter could never be IN LOVE with her.  
  
Besides, he thought to himself, he knew the type of guy that Roe needed and neither of her best friends fit the bill. She needed a guy that would hold his own against her smart-aleck remarks, be a guy to comfort her and yet be firm with her, that guy was unfortunately a guy that came from a bad influence of a family. Malfoy was perfect for Roe, as Roe was perfect for Malfoy. He had seen the looks Malfoy tossed Roe's way only to have the naive in the ways of adolescent feelings of lust and desire girl never see them. As much as he didn't like Malfoy he had to grudgingly admit that the guy was as a match for Roe more than anyone else she was likely to meet. The hostility, anger, jealousy, and old grudges that made up their relationship were only the beginning. Sometime soon Roe would have to take a good look at herself and wonder just what she wanted and he knew for bloody certain it wasn't Potter.  
  
Now if that wasn't enough to make an older brother want to reevaluate how he thought of his younger sister, he didn't know what was but unfortunately his name was Astraeus Snape and he was the only guy that loved her that didn't have a hidden motive. He was going to make sure that Roe got what she deserved and if that meant Malfoy then so be it.  
  
As Trey, as he was called as opposed to the hideously long Astraeus, left the quiet hallway he wished for the hundredth time his mother would have thought up better names for her twins rather than Astraeus and Ambrosia.  
  
~  
  
Making it to the entrance of the Gryffindor common room, out of breathe with red flushed cheeks Roe saw James and Sebastian heading up with a narrow eyed Nereida and the other girl Prefect Wynter Jordan. Breathing in a ragged breath Roe straightened her appearance as James announced the Fat Lady painting, who was beaming at the first years, before informing the group that the password was 'Cauldron Cakes' as the passageway opened and they went in but Nereida gripped Roe's upper arm to stop her from going in.  
  
"Where did you disappear to?"  
  
"Sorry had something urgent I had to deal with."  
  
Roe jerked her arm out of Nereida's grip and headed inside. Pausing to explain with Wynter about the rules, before showing the first year girls their dormitory Roe caught Sebastian's eyes resting on her.  
  
Mouthing, "I'm fine", she went up to her sixth year dormitory room crashing on her bed before realizing she had her book and player in her pocket so she dragged them out making sure she hadn't hurt her c.d. player and set it in her hope chest at the end of her canopy four-poster bed. Changing into flannel blue and green patterned shirt and pants pajamas she saw two of the other sixth years staring at her as she pulled back the bedspread.  
  
"Ever heard of the saying 'Take a picture it'll last longer'?"  
  
Velvet Steinmetz, a very beautiful golden blond with blue eyes and Topaz Hauser, who had deeply tanned skin with silky black hair and inquisitive hazel eyes both sat on Velvet's bed before Topaz answered Roe.  
  
"Did you really say all those things to Malfoy?"  
  
Raising a delicate arched eyebrow, Roe sat back on her bed, as Wynter wrapped an arm around one of the posts on Velvet's bed listening.  
  
"Which things?"  
  
"About his family, you know the whole," Velvet lowered her voice, "Death Eater thing."  
  
"Sure, why not?"  
  
The three other girls exchanged looks that stated that Roe was crazy, which she thought was funny considering that she thought any girl that found Malfoy something other than repulsive was a candidate for St. Mungo.  
  
"You three don't have to agree with me," Roe was seeing the buzzing of the famous gossip chain already starting, "I just think that Malfoy shouldn't be based on his looks. He comes from the Death Eater family that is famous for being in league with Dark Arts, he acts like he's some sort of god about this place because he's wealthy and no one has the guts to tell him otherwise. As far as I'm concerned he's a swelled headed git who needs a couple good thrashings to get that stupid lazy smirk off his face."  
  
"Girl, you are losing it. Malfoy may be all those things but he's hot. He's the same as James only on the other side. You've even got to admit in the looks department the boy is yummy."  
  
"I'd rather have holes drilled in my head."  
  
Roe gathered a blanket and Wynter asked where she was going.  
  
"Into the common room, while you three get the famous Malfoy looks out of your system since you three obviously only see the package not what's inside."  
  
Slamming the door after her she headed down the steps to the deserted common room, a high fire in the fireplace and collapsed with a flop in an armchair in front of the fire. Muttering under her breathe about having brainless twits as roommates, she felt a sudden pull on the back of her chair that caused her to look up at James, with Sebastian coming around and sitting in the identical matching chair.  
  
"Have a fight with the girls?" James inquired.  
  
"How'd you guess?"  
  
"The blanket and the fact you're in your pajamas without a robe. Signs of a fight that had you all huffy."  
  
"Good observation, Watson." Roe sarcastically commented, then seeing their identical confused looks gave up on why she had called Sebastian that.  
  
"Gonna tell us what's bothering you or do we have to use a 'Rictusempra' on you?" James asked.  
  
"Put a tickling charm on me James and I'll sneak into Snape's office and get a Truth Potion out then ask you which girls you've had crushes on for the past six years," Roe paused for effect, "in the middle of the next Quidditch game and I'll put a spell on your voice that will make the whole school hear you."  
  
"Ouch," Sebastian winced, "gotta admit James she's got you there."  
  
"Who would ever have thought that good old Roe would be such a rule breaker?" James mused.  
  
"Taught first hand by you two and five Weasley cousins, I'd say I haven't done enough."  
  
James and Sebastian grinned.  
  
"We admit that we might have helped."  
  
"Might of? What did the Invincible Cloak make your brain go haywire?"  
  
"Okay, okay, we helped alot."  
  
"So is it any wonder that I'm so good at what I do?"  
  
"Never doubted it for a minute, Roe."  
  
"Though your mom might have something to say about you doing that to me."  
  
"Please my mom would say I was proving a point that you should never use a charm to divulge information you can't get out of simply talking to a person."  
  
"Obviously she doesn't know you real well."  
  
James saw Roe look down cast and shot a look at Sebastian.  
  
"You gonna tell us?"  
  
Roe pulled her knees to her chest, her body wrapped in the soft cotton blanket from her bed, resting her chin on the top of her knees.  
  
"It's Malfoy."  
  
James's puzzled expression gave away that he hadn't heard about the train.  
  
"I kinda went off on him. About his father, his family, how arrogant he thinks he is and then upstairs Velvet, Topaz and Wynter decided to ask me about it. Why do they think he's such a great catch? He's a bleached blond with a serious over-inflated head syndrome."  
  
"Well, you've got us on the whole he's attractive thing," Sebastian admitted.  
  
"Malfoy has a way of making people see what he wants them to see, not what he doesn't."  
  
"He's a bloody git that needs to be boiled in oil, feathered and sent to Fang as a dog toy."  
  
At the image she created of Fang, Hagrid's boarhound, using Malfoy as a chewing toy both boys broke into laughter.  
  
"Not bitter, are we?" James said, when he could breath again.  
  
"Bitter? Me? Cause he uses my mom's parentage as a reason to treat me like I'm subhuman, cause she's born normal..Muggle but has more talent in her pinky than his jerk of a father has in his entire body. He thinks he's Merlin's gift to the female population of Hogwarts and that irritates me that not one girl besides me sees him as the person he is inside."  
  
"Who knows the female brain? I have two sisters and I still can't figure it out." Sebastian spoke up.  
  
"And one more staying this winter." Roe added as a sore point to Sebastian, who glared at her.  
  
"You didn't tell me you were staying with Bastian."  
  
"You didn't ask, Jamie, I can't do all the thinking for you, now can I? I'd be all exhausted thinking of excuses to get out of Divinations all day."  
  
"Well, since you are staying with Bastian I'll just have to come around during winter break now won't I?"  
  
Sebastian eyes pleaded with James not to joke, the idea of spending the vacation with a household full of females was a scary thought indeed.  
  
"We better get to bed," James said after laughing at Sebastian's earnest face, "hopefully the oohing and awing over Malfoy has ended."  
  
"One can only hope. Night, guys."  
  
"Night, Roe."  
  
~  
  
Waking up feeling like she had just gone to bed, Roe dressed in her robes after showering in the private Prefect's bathroom on the 5th floor pulling her hair into a French braid, the strands of her hair a mixture of subtle shades of brown mixed with the palest shade that was a dark blonde due to the summer of spending it in the sun. The healthy tan suited her much better and her eyes, a mix of cinnamon-brown with gold flecks were defined in a way they hadn't before. Growing out of her akward phase in her fourth year had helped her self-esteem and made her prettier than alot of girls at school, not that she cared. Life was more than a bunch of meaningless looks that never helped you and faded when you grew old.  
  
At breakfast the conversation was still on the Yule Ball that wasn't for months and as Roe went over her schedule she found herself in Potions followed by Defense Against Dark Arts back to back first thing in the morning. Winnie sat across from Roe, beside a groggy Lily who was chattering with another first year between bites of eggs.  
  
"You okay, Roe? You look a little distraught?"  
  
"Potions and Dark Arts first thing in the morning." Roe replied.  
  
Winnie groaned in sympathy.  
  
Owls were just starting to enter the room, sending greetings, the Daily Prophet, and letters to the variety of students. One landed in front of Roe, as she opened it she saw her mother's handwriting:  
  
  
  
Roe,  
  
Hope you are having a great first couple of days. I wanted to let you know that I'm heading back to New York early. Demand on the new book has hit its peak, it'll be out in three days and I'll send you a copy. Try to keep out of trouble, though with James and Sebastian I won't say don't get into any, as that would not be possible since they are exactly like their fathers. I will owl again soon. Send my love.  
  
Mum  
  
  
  
Roe smiled at the way her mom spoke, before folding the letter and putting it in her pocket of her robe her eyes searching for a pair of bronze ones, finding them she grinned at the letter he held in his hand with their mother's seal on it. Mouthing 'Potions' as her first class, she saw him give a sympathetic nod although to anyone else it didn't look like he had done any such thing. His mouth formed 'Charms' and she glared over at him before mouthing 'Not fair'. Turning her attention back to her breakfast, feeling eyes on her she saw Winnie staring over her shoulder at the exact direction of Trey.  
  
"Hey, Win?" Roe asked, a smile hidden.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Who you staring at?"  
  
That seemed to snap the fourteen-year-old out of her trance.  
  
"What?"  
  
Not wanting to embarrass her friend she changed what she had said.  
  
"Who do you have first?"  
  
"Oh I thought you asked....I have Professor Sprout, Herbology."  
  
"Lucky you. Lily?"  
  
The eleven-year-old's head shot up at the sound of her name to meet Roe's face.  
  
"Would you mind telling Jamie and Bastian I'll see them in class?"  
  
"Sure, Roe! James is going to be in Potions with you, right?"  
  
"That's what he told me when I saw him and Bastian earlier."  
  
"Bastian, too?"  
  
"Yeah. Always do we have the same class, the year you're in usually dictates the class the entire year is in."  
  
"At least that way you guys aren't separated."  
  
"I have two other classes that they don't since I flat refused to take Divinations."  
  
"Does..eh, Trey have Potions cause," as Winnie leaned over the table to point on Roe's schedule, "Slytherin is with Gryffindor for Potions."  
  
"He gets other classes as well since Trey didn't want to take Potions with the rest of the Slytherins, he's got more experience at it anyway with being Snape's son and all. Well, gotta go."  
  
"Good luck."  
  
Roe smiled and got up almost knocking into a fuming Malfoy, but stopped just in time to keep her balance.  
  
"Just walk down the aisle like you own the whole place why don't you?" Roe called angrily.  
  
His steps paused, students heads popped to attention that the always- entertaining confrontations between Roe and Malfoy only to be disappointed as he stocked away without a word. Unused to him not being the jerk he normally was, Roe shrugged and went to get her books for Potions.  
  
~  
  
The dark room used as the Potions and also now the Defense against the Dark Arts classroom was sobering to most students. Professor Snape was a no nonsense teacher who was known for taking away points, especially from Gryffindor at the top of a hat. His personal grudge against James Potter, the father of Harry Potter, was well known but he had lessened his grudge a bit in the past almost seventeen years and most suspected it was due to the scandal between him and an unnamed student that resulted in the birth of Trey, who was raised at Hogwarts and in Hogsmeade during the summer in Snape's flat. Trey was a top student but had an anti-social personality that made him unapproachable if not lusted after from a removed distance. He was hot, no denying his status as one of the top ten hunks at Hogwarts, a list that the girls in all four houses had created in first year but he had yet to date a single girl or show interest in one. For a long time most suspected him being more towards same sex but it was never confirmed. That he was in Slytherin, along with Malfoy wasn't a turn off although they were the only two Slytherins to make it to the list. A mystery hung around Trey as to who his mother was and that added mystery to the already highly mysterious secretive Snape.  
  
As Roe entered the room, her cauldron and book in hand she noticed she was first to arrive but smiled as she saw the figure of Trey, his back turned towards her, so she sneaked up on him as he bent over whatever potion he was working on and put her hands over his eyes.  
  
"Guess who?"  
  
"A very attractive Ravenclaw?"  
  
Roe rolled her eyes, removing her hands and punching his shoulder softly.  
  
"Very cute, Trey."  
  
"So everyone keeps writing about me, but I have yet to see 'cute' as part of me."  
  
"Oh you know you are just the cutest little Slytherin in the whole wide world." Roe's tone like baby talk as she laughed.  
  
Trey couldn't help the groan of disgust at her voice, turning so she could look in front of him at the potion that was turning a putrid yellow color and smelled worse.  
  
"What is that?" Roe pointed to the potion but made sure to keep a safe distance.  
  
"A potion to turn innocent girls like you into wanton women of the world."  
  
"Really?" Roe looked interested but seeing his eyes light up with shock, she laughed, "you know you take everything I say way too seriously, Trey- Bear."  
  
"I trust, Miss Granger that you are done harassing my top student?" came the snide almost freezing cold tone of Professor Snape from behind a wall that obviously was a secret passage to his private rooms. The black robes hung off him in a very thick material, with a black belt and his face was a simple expression, as to not give away anything.  
  
"Why no, Professor Snape, you see Trey has decided to turn me into quite the wanton so I will be forced to seduce every single male into doing my bidding by the end of the day. Quite an accomplishment for a sixth year, don't you think?"  
  
His face was as priceless as Trey's had been that she couldn't keep the serious tone in her voice any longer that she burst out laughing at his dark look towards Trey.  
  
"Sorry about that," Roe said between breaths, "it was too good to pass up."  
  
"I do sometimes, young lady, wonder what your mother is teaching you."  
  
Roe watched him put a spell on the huge door so that no one could unlock it and then pulled her into a hug.  
  
"Mom is great, she teaches me all that knowledge she learned here and she sends her love."  
  
Snape pulled back from his daughter, his other offspring that he never in a million years thought he'd have. He was still uncomfortable about showing any outward affection but Roe was always one to give affection whole heartedly to the people she cared about that the hug didn't feel unnatural at all.  
  
"Are you going to be spending time here this winter?"  
  
Roe frowned, "Mom set it up that I would be spending my winter at the Weasley's."  
  
Snape scrawled before Trey nodded.  
  
"It's not like she has to spend every winter here with me, Father. Mum already spoke to me about it and I said it was fine."  
  
"Since when do I need your permission to do something, Trey?"  
  
"Always, you just didn't know it."  
  
Her look could kill if it had been a spell but as Snape went about doing things for the upcoming class the door opened as Snape had taken off the spell as soon as he knew the second student would be coming soon.  
  
"Aren't you gonna tell me what the potion is?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Miss Granger, would you please take your seat as your classmates will be arriving soon and Trey I suggest you get to Charms before I am forced to come up with an excuse to tell that dumb bell Flitwick teacher of yours."  
  
Trey nodded, setting aside the potion to keep it out of the lessons way. Gathering his books, he walked to where Roe sat.  
  
"You going to the Library after classes?"  
  
"Probably if I don't have Quidditch practice. James is Captain this year and might have that whole Grind-Us-Into-The-Ground tendency."  
  
"Tell Potter to go easy on you or I might just visit him."  
  
"No threats to James this early please, I'm too tired to come up with nasty words of insults up to my standards."  
  
Trey smirked that half-smile he did.  
  
"See you around, Gryffindor."  
  
"Be social, Slytherin."  
  
"Not a chance on this side of Hell."  
  
Roe chuckled under her breath only to stop as Trey seemed to be talking to someone on the other side of the door, as she got up to tease him as was little sister privilege, she found him talking to Malfoy.  
  
"Oh, it's you."  
  
"Don't look so thrilled to see me, Granger, and what's with you talking to Trey, think maybe one of us might date your bony self?"  
  
"Oh please I wouldn't date a Slytherin if my life depended on it, I rather be strapped to a wooden stake and set on fire." Roe's eyes saw Trey's light up in amusement before he turned and walked towards Charms.  
  
"Since this isn't the 1600s you'll have to forgo that but being strapped? Kinda kinky for a virgin isn't it?"  
  
"Drop dead."  
  
Entering the class behind her, Malfoy noticed that Snape was displaying items for a potion.  
  
"No such luck, Granger," his voice chilly, "dying is a Mudblood thing not a Pure Blood seeing as how we aren't hunted."  
  
"Watch your back, Malfoy, cause one of these days hunting season is going to open and Pure Bloods are going to be the first to go, especially Malfoys."  
  
Snape's ears caught the entire exchange and as much as he'd like to fight Roe's battles for her, he knew he couldn't. No one knew that Roe was his daughter besides Dumbledore, Potter, Weasley, Hermione, Trey, and himself. Roe had even told her best friends, the younger Potter and Weasley, that Trey was just an old friend and since he wasn't evil like Malfoy they accepted it as her decision. He knew that Draco had raised Damon to be alot like him but Draco wasn't evil either and neither, much as his daughter would like to think, was Damon. Draco had more courage and self- respect to be a Death Eater and Damon had been taught that wealth was only a luxury not a privilege. Unknown to Roe and as a secret with Trey, Damon had spent every other summer working in Hogsmeade like any other kid who needed money to call their own just like Trey did. So as much as he'd like to take sides especially at that Mudblood comment directed at Hermione as well as Roe, he couldn't.  
  
"If you two are done I suggest you take your seats and fortunately Mr. Malfoy you will be sitting next to Miss Granger this semester."  
  
The astonish looks almost caused him to smile, almost.  
  
As the rest of the class crawled in, each was forced to sit with people they didn't like. James was on the other side of Malfoy while Sebastian was subjected to being in the middle of Avery and Bletchley. As Snape went over what they would be covering he decided to start with a simple potion along with assigning a four foot parchment on the different uses of three plants of each individual students choice.  
  
Roe was going over her notes on three plants she had in mind when she heard James comment on something accompanied by a biting remark by Malfoy. Lifting her bent head from over her parchment to the two handsome arguing boys, she saw that James's ink bottle was dumped all over Malfoy's two bundled parchment.  
  
"Look what you did, Potter!"  
  
"I said it was an accident!"  
  
"Like I believe you! You did it on purpose!"  
  
"Why would I want to waste my ink all over your stupid parchments?!"  
  
"Because you knew I was almost done with the essay, class is almost over and that's why I put it away!"  
  
"I said it was an accident what more do you want?!"  
  
"Forget it, too bad that You-Know-Who missed killing your father because maybe then I wouldn't have to deal with you!"  
  
Roe knew the minute that Malfoy opened his mouth at James's dad he was going to get it and she winced the moment she heard flesh fist hit flesh nose. The splatter of blood landed on the table, over turned chairs cracked on the stone floor as the two boys wrestled in the fight.  
  
Finally as Sebastian got to James to get him away, Snape along with Avery pulled Malfoy away as Roe went about keeping herself firmly between the two, her back to Malfoy as she saw the already black eye forming in the place of James's left eye, his lower lip was cut by Malfoy's signia ring on his right middle finger and as Roe glanced over her shoulder at Malfoy whose nose was broken and was going to be showing off two identical raccoon eyes because of it, both boys equally messed up.  
  
"I want you both to Pomfrey and then I want you back here because you two and I are going to have a talk."  
  
As Roe saw Sebastian let go of James's arm, the concern in her face as she turned sideways to wipe at James lip with one of the white clothes that Wynter had got from the sink, was getting to Malfoy as he sat in the chair before Snape took each boy by the arm and led them to the nurse. The door wasn't even closed before whispers, accusations and the like were shouted back and forth between the Gryffindors and the Slytherins.  
  
Sebastian saw Roe sigh before going back to gather her things right as the bell rang.  
  
"What are you doing? Don't you have Defense against Dark Arts next?"  
  
"Yeah but I'm going take a breather."  
  
As Sebastian glanced at Roe leaving, he thought in his head, Oh, yeah it's great being back at Hogwarts.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
To Be Continued....next chapter up soon..  
  
December 23, 2001  
  
Re-edited December 28, 2001 and renamed from 'Hard Times Ahead' 


	2. Dueling Without Wands

AN: Thanks for the great feedback, glad you guys like the story!!  
  
Mark Of The Snake  
  
Part 2: Dueling Without Wands  
  
Written by: V Lynne  
  
echoinghearts@yahoo.com  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Sliding her book bag up her arm to rest hanging on her right shoulder, Roe Granger headed out of the dark dungeon area where her Potions/Defense Against Dark Arts classroom was located. The faint sounds of the still arguing Gryffindors and Slytherins filled the back of her mind as she passed by the corridor that overlooked the lake that was rumored to have merpeople as well as a giant squid in it. Her boot-clad feet clunked on the soft stone flooring until she found herself, so lost in her thoughts, right in front of the exit out of the castle.  
  
Drawing her cloak firmly around her to ward off the chill in the air, she strode over the grass grounds and sat near the lake, close enough but not too close in case from creature decided she looked like a meal. Lying back, her cloak and robes bellowing around her in a cloud of black Roe moved her hands to keep her head off the ground, while she sought consultation from the sky above. Too early to ask the stars for help that would help her understand just what she felt towards James and why in the world when she had been in class, looked up to see Malfoy and James fighting had she thought that Malfoy was handsome, she let out a sigh.  
  
"Thought perfect Prefects are expected to be in class right now?" The hostile, disgusted voice invaded Roe's thoughts that the girl sat up and glanced over her shoulder.  
  
A pair of hate filled ice-blue eyes locked with Roe's cinnamon ones, as the other girl ran a casual hand through her long, wavy black-blue hair. The scarf around the girl's neck was green; the color of the Slytherin House but even without that Roe would never forget the voice of Ebony Montague.  
  
"How would you know, as I remember you aren't exactly qualified for anywhere near Prefect status, it requires an I.Q."  
  
"I'm laughing inside, Granger," Ebony told the annoying Gryffindor who thought she was so much better than the rest of them.  
  
"I can see that," Roe sarcastically observed, as if the permanent frown on Ebony's face would cause her entire face to crack if she did indeed laugh out loud.  
  
"Just what did you do to cause Damon to get but in the infirmary?"  
  
"Me? You got it all wrong, he picked a fight with James and that's why the both of them are with Madam Pomfrey."  
  
Roe stood up so that she was at least taller than sitting on her cloak and staring up at the Slytherin.  
  
"Yeah, but I know it has to do with you, Granger, when doesn't it?"  
  
"Delusional much?"  
  
"Watch it, Mudblood or you just might find yourself in a situation that your pals Potter and Weasel can't get you out of."  
  
"I don't need them to deal with you, Montague."  
  
"Oh? Then why don't you prove it?" Ebony pulled out her hidden wand and held it out so that Roe could see it but as Roe had a surprise for Ebony, who was very dependent on her wand that was not the case with Roe. She out grew her need to depend completely on her wand in fifth year.  
  
"Avis!" Ebony screeched, as the end of her wand let out fire, which Roe only gave a roll of her eyes at the weak fire spell.  
  
Roe moved after calling the defense spell that repelled the fire from her and with the astonishment that Roe hadn't even used her wand, that was in her bag, "Expelliarmus!"  
  
The thick oak wand of Ebony went sailing over twenty feet away and landed in aconite patch. As Roe only looked bored at the glowing rage in Ebony's face, the Gryffindor Prefect shook her head.  
  
"As you can see, Montague, you can't even beat me with your wand. Now why don't you back off about asking me about Malfoy, I'm sure he's a big boy and doesn't need half-wits asking unintelligent questions and making false accusations for him. Impedimenta!"  
  
Instantly Montague was frozen to the spot. Roe's face fell.  
  
"When you manage to get out of that," Roe stated watching Montague's eyes moving, the only part of the girl that was, "think of a better way to deal with your overworked emotions concerning Malfoy. He's probably not worth it anyway."  
  
As much as that should have cheered her up it didn't. Using spells on irrational people such as Ebony Montague was a waste, so as she walked back into the building she snapped her fingers and Ebony was released, lurching forward as she got steady on her legs.  
  
Roe didn't realize her entire exchange with Ebony was being quietly observed by Dumbledore and McGonagall from a window high above.  
  
~  
  
The white haired Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts for three generations of Potters now was stroking his beard in contemplation as Minerva McGonagall held her hands clasped together in front of her, a prudish gesture, as they stepped away from his opened window.  
  
A fluttering of wings came from Dumbledore's pet phoenix, Fawkes but that was the only sound in the great circular office decorated with portraits of retired and deceased Headmasters and Headmistresses now sleeping in their portraits hung around the room.  
  
"Interesting that Miss Granger does not need to depend on her wand." McGonagall stated.  
  
"Not really. She has not really ever needed her wand, she only used it because it's a requirement here."  
  
"Even Hermione still has to use hers for most of her spells."  
  
"True but the parentage of young Roe leaves me wondering."  
  
"Her parentage? I thought Hermione was married to a Muggle and he died."  
  
Dumbledore gave her a look she knew was saying a million things and could only reason that he was insinuating that Hermione, her top pupil even after all this time, had not done what she had been led to believe.  
  
"Her skills match those of young Master Snape, don't you think?" Dumbledore offered as an insightful way of telling McGonagall exactly who Roe's true father was without going straight ahead and saying it.  
  
Her startled expression made him smile although she quickly brought her eyes together in the way she always did when she was deep in thought.  
  
"Her skills make more reasonable sense then."  
  
"Indeed. Roe as well as Trey have an almost uncanny ability to rely on themselves rather than objects of magic."  
  
"Are they mistrustful?"  
  
"Trey, certainly. Roe I am not entirely certain, the girl's warring thoughts make her impossible to read."  
  
"Albus! You are most certainly not using your Thought Potion to get inside the heads of our students!"  
  
It was a reprimand that Albus expected from Minerva having known her for many years.  
  
"Do not fret, Minerva, it does not cause any damage," at her huff he continued, "I simply think that perhaps we should use a different approach to the two."  
  
"What do you purpose?"  
  
"Who besides Mr. Snape and Miss Granger have the ability to do that kind of magic without a wand?"  
  
Minerva thought for a second before concluding, "Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Potter and Miss Diggory."  
  
"Diggory? Isn't she Cedric's sister's daughter?"  
  
"Yes, quite the talented girl. Also on the Quidditch team for Ravenclaw as a seeker."  
  
"So she is also like our Miss Granger in that."  
  
"Then it's settled. I want Granger, Snape, Potter, Malfoy, and Diggory, you might as well add Weasley, Montague, Medley, Brocklehurst, Jordan, Finch-Fletchley and Davies into it as well."  
  
"Into what?"  
  
"The Dueling Club, without wands."  
  
That got both her nearly all gray mixed with brown eyebrows to shoot up.  
  
~  
  
Getting back into the school she headed to Defense Against Dark Arts only to find the class already over, which she sighed that she'd be getting a lecture from Snape about. When she went to turn around she heard her father's voice directed at obviously two captive young males newly returned from the nurse.  
  
"I do not like having my class time wasted on the two of you and your petty fights over something as trivial as ink and parchments. I will have peace in my class if I have to put a limited Binding spell on each of you every day until end of term. You both will not interrupt my class again and to let this sink in both of your houses will lose fifty points," at the boys identical protests, he raised his arms to signal silence, "you will now have to explain to your fellow Houses why you lost those points and I suggest you earn them back in case you pull more foolishness and I am forced to take a hundred from each house which will remove both Slytherin and Gryffindor from the Yule Ball."  
  
Equal, "Yes, sir" was heard from the two boys before he dismissed them.  
  
As James headed out the door, he felt himself shoved against on the of the desk sides, the push so hard his upper right side thigh caught the blunt of it and sent pain up his body. Grinding his teeth as he watched Malfoy's smug face walk away only to have a piercing glare directed at the retreating blond from Roe.  
  
Grateful that it wasn't another Slytherin, as he had passed by many on his way back from the infirmary, with comments on him being such a klutz, waste of space, etc. A ginger smile crossed his face as to not make the petite brunette in front of him worry.  
  
"Did I miss something or did that dressing down set everything to rights between you and Snake Boy?"  
  
"Right," he choked out, "like getting in trouble with Malfoy set things straight between the two of us."  
  
Her eyes searched for her father's figure but it was blessedly out of sight that she wouldn't have to hear about how she shouldn't let how 'Potter' saw him influence what deed was done in order to get such a dressing down.  
  
"Take it I only got the last part of that, huh?"  
  
"I am amazed I came away with skin attached, the next thing I expected was for him to announce was my immediate presence needed to be locked in the stocks."  
  
Roe couldn't help her giggle at the picture as they walked towards the Great Hall where lunch was already being served.  
  
"How's our champion? Still all in one piece?" Velvet wondered.  
  
"Why don't you let James eat, Velvet?" Roe snapped.  
  
"Oh, come on, James you'll tell us won't you?" Topaz persisted that Winnie, who was sitting next to the elder girl elbowed her to get her to shut up.  
  
Roe's eyes shot to the Slytherin table where it seemed Malfoy was wasting no time telling everyone who would listen what happened, his face battered from the fight that she smirked but as she noticed several Hufflepuff and Ravenclaws stop to listen, mainly female in gender, it didn't seem to keep girls from appraising his attributes pale though they were. Blowing hair upwards at the loose hairs that were now seeming to aggravate her from her forehead, she saw James take her hand and use his thumb to rub the top of it gently in a calming motion.  
  
"To think I'm the one that got in the fight and you be more upset about it than I am."  
  
"He's a jerk."  
  
"No argument here," Sebastian's entrance was accompanied with a strawberry blond with focused mahogany eyes, "but aren't you two supposed to be coming with us?"  
  
James and Roe shook their heads in what he was talking about.  
  
Then an owl entered the Great Hall, letters clutched in the talons of a great brown owl, that it passed over the four different tables. Letters flew out; 3 at Slytherin, 2 at Hufflepuff, 2 at Ravenclaw and 3 at Gryffindor. One landed each in front of James and Roe, the last one in front of Wynter who had Velvet and Topaz crowding around to see what it was. Breaking the seal, Roe opened her letter, her eyes running over it and as she had just took a sip of Pumpkin juice managed to swallow it, causing her to choke from the reaction to the words in the letter. James's eyes were rounder than usual while across to the Slytherin table, Ebony had literally sprayed juice across the table, which conveniently enough was just where Avery and Bletchley were currently sitting.  
  
"What is it?" Winnie wondered, glancing to her elder brother who held an identical paper in his hand as well as the girl behind him did.  
  
"A summons that we join other appointed students on the Quidditch field to start a Dueling Without Wands Club that demands our presence as part of our fifth or sixth year project that has twelve members." Roe informed, the whole table intently listening.  
  
"And that's not what I think is getting to Roe so much as who is on the team." Wynter added.  
  
"Who is it?"  
  
"Malfoy, Montague and Snape are three." Velvet chimed in.  
  
Roe groaned, her head moving to the flat table surface in defeat.  
  
"Along with the others, the five of us here included." Mariorie Diggory, the Seeker for Ravenclaw and girl standing beside Sebastian concluded, "along with Stacey Brocklehurst and Joshua Davies of Ravenclaw with Lark Finch-Fletchley and Trent Medley from Hufflepuff."  
  
"Twelve."  
  
"And if you two will read at the bottom it says that we have to be there in exactly three minutes."  
  
That got both of their attentions as they filed out with Sebastian and Mariorie, as Winnie watched with interested hazel-blue eyes as sure enough Malfoy, Snape and Ebony went out the door with Wynter, Stacey, Lark, Joshua and Trent following.  
  
~  
  
Sebastian observed James's lip cut and black eye were healing but slowly along with Malfoy's identical black circles and broken nose. A shame that Pomfrey had to have the touch for fixing boys that just got out of fights, cause Malfoy could use some more down time with his looks.  
  
"So are you going to practice today?" Sebastian asked James, for unlike his two best friends he was not on the Quidditch team but rather the other important person for the whole Quidditch game, the commentator.  
  
"After we see what this is about," James replied, seeing Roe glare at Malfoy, who was walking behind them and kicking ever so often at the back of her shoes, "have you notice that all but three of us are on one of the four Quidditch teams?"  
  
"Really?" Sebastian looked around and sure enough he recognized that all the people minus him, Wynter and Snape were on one of the four teams, "Interesting."  
  
All of a sudden, as they got onto the large Quidditch field, the ten- spectator platforms rose high into the air that gave a perfect view of what happened when the games were being played, could each seat hundreds. Both ends of the field had three golden poles with hoops at the end that were fifty feet in the air, those were the goal posts where the Chasers on the team had to get the red Quaffle ball through in order to score 10 points. It was still a spectacular sight inside the stadium every time you saw it.  
  
"Nice to know that you took our invites seriously," the prissy tone of Professor McGonagall sounded before she appeared before the twelve of them, "I suggest that you," her eyes followed to the only fifth years in the group which were Trent, Joshua and Stacey, "put away your wands, for you won't be needing them."  
  
"Didn't the letter say with was for Dueling Club?" Trent Medley, a shaggy brown haired boy who was one of the Beaters on the Hufflepuff team, questioned.  
  
"Indeed but this is Dueling Without Wands."  
  
"Without wands?" Ebony Montague sneered.  
  
"Why yes, Miss Montague, I am sure that your earlier appreciation of that concept with Miss Granger taught you that it is a very needed skill to have should you ever find yourself without your wand."  
  
"Won't help if they put a silencing spell on you." Malfoy's cocky tone interfered.  
  
"But it will," Prof. McGonagall announced, "May I have Miss Granger and Mr. Snape please step forward to demonstrate."  
  
Trey stepped forward, his every movement guarded as Roe shrugged her shoulders.  
  
"Please face one another," instructing them the Professor continued as they followed her directions, "now each of you is to use a curse or hex upon the other one."  
  
That got everyone's attention as it was usually against rules to use that type of magic.  
  
"Go on, we are all waiting."  
  
Roe winked at her brother, whose eyebrow lifted as if to say the Professor had no idea what she was asking as they both knew each other, had learned to do without wands around each other for years.  
  
As they caught each other's eyesight they called out the spells, sending them toward one another only to have the spell deflected by Professor McGonagall. Roe's enlarging spell was sent towards the grass near the end of the stadium making it grow over thirty feet high while Trey's boils spell was sent off harmlessly.  
  
"You were going to use a boils spell on me?" Roe argued.  
  
"Hey, Princess, not everyone uses nice simple spells like an Enlargement."  
  
Roe narrowed her eyes at him, before muttering under her breath, "Petrificus Totalus."  
  
The moment her words ended Trey was on the ground in the Full Body Bind, lying motionless with retribution in his gold eyes.  
  
'Love you, too' Roe mouthed impishly before snapping her fingers due to the Professor's glare and he was again able to move.  
  
"As you can see both Miss Granger and Mr. Snape already have advanced knowledge on using magic without assistance from their wands, Miss Granger has demonstrated her ability to call off a spell by snapping her fingers which is a very simple trick. As Professor Dumbledore and I have noticed that you all have that particular gift and we want to help you develop it. For Miss Granger and Mr. Snape it will be more competition for them," her eyes saw Roe's light in up amusement while Trey's were void of any emotion, "and help yourselves become the top wizard and witches we all know you to be. This is your project, how seriously you take it is up to you. We will meet once a week until school is over, since most of you are involved in Quidditch it won't be too hard on your schedules as we have had the fore sight to accept that. Now if you are all ready you may go back to lunch or continue to your afternoon class."  
  
With that she had dismissed them, Roe finally noticed James and Sebastian's looks of astonishment.  
  
"Oh, come off it you two. It's simple and it's not like neither of you have never thought of not using your wands."  
  
"We had no idea you were this good at it, Roe." Sebastian's amazement clear in his voice.  
  
"Doubted I could do it?"  
  
"No," James cut in, "it's just odd to see you use magic without your wand. Though it now lets me understand why you always seemed to glare at your wand with impatience."  
  
Roe saw Trey talking with Ebony and Malfoy, as well as Diggory commenting on his spell. Medley, Brocklehurst, Davies and Jordan were all listening to Roe talk to James and Sebastian.  
  
"How are we supposed to do that? My wand is like..a part of me." Stacey Brocklehurst whined.  
  
"Then don't do it. She said it was up to us how far we take this knowledge that she even thought we can do this is amazing in itself." Wynter said.  
  
Roe felt a chill, sensing eyes on her and shot a glance over to where Malfoy stood.  
  
"Think I can do it?" Malfoy asked, his entire attitude one of complete self- confidence.  
  
"Why does my opinion matter to you? You'll think what you want to anyway."  
  
"True, since I already know how to do the same things you two seem to," Malfoy bragged, his white-blond hair blowing slightly due to the breeze as the group moved towards the school, "makes me wonder just how you both seemed to anticipate when you were saying a spell. Keeping something from us, Snape?"  
  
"Why would he do that? Being around me has obviously got to be better than hanging around self-assured jerks like yourself."  
  
James and Sebastian stood to either side of her, knowing if she did need them she would have their help but knowing Roe that didn't look to be a problem.  
  
Malfoy addressed her only, stepping away from Ebony who seemed to be hanging on him like a leech while Trey watched expressionlessly that only the six of them were still on the outside of Hogwarts the rest of the group having already headed inside.  
  
"Really? Think of me that often you label me with titles, Granger? If I wasn't so disgusted I'd be impressed that you are finally developing taste, being around Potter and Weasley so long."  
  
"Only you would take what I said as a compliment, Malfoy."  
  
"I don't really put much weight in words, Granger, actions speak so much louder."  
  
His closeness, within arms reach was making her skin revolt against her as if actually anticipating his touch. Angered at herself, she glared at him and walked away. As the three Gryffindors entered Malfoy's gray-blue eyes sought Trey's bronze ones and locked.  
  
~  
  
Damon threw off his cloak as he and Trey entered the Slytherin Common Room and headed up to the 6th year boy dormitory leaving confused Ebony in the Common Room who had to deal with Avery and Bletchley who immediately came to see about Damon but left him alone at the sight of his dark glare.  
  
The cloak landed on his green satin covered bedspread, while he turned eyeing Trey who was leaning against the far wall. Trey was his only confidant, but not his friend. He didn't think the offspring of Severus Snape had friends or completely trusted anyone until now when Damon saw the passing understanding come between Trey and infuriating Granger.  
  
"Are you in love with Granger?" Damon bluntly wondered, his arms crossed over his muscular chest due to years of Quidditch and fights.  
  
Trey stood leaning, one foot resting flatly on the stone surface of the Slytherin wall while his arms were buried in the pockets of his pants under his robes. His entire manner gave nothing away but after years of knowing Trey, Damon could read most of the stoic's ways by the way he presented himself.  
  
"You are, aren't you?"  
  
Trey did that half-smirk thing that neither denied nor admitted anything.  
  
"Let's just say you would have to be a fool not to love Roe."  
  
"You call her Roe even," Damon persisted, his voice chilly as the night wind.  
  
"I don't call her Granger because the name doesn't suit her," Trey said, almost laughing inside at how very true that statement was, "Roe is her name, so I call her that."  
  
Damon's frustration at Trey's answers that didn't answer anything became apparent on his face.  
  
"If you want me to say I'm in love with her, you are not going to hear it because I'm not," Trey paused, "although I know you are."  
  
Damon glared at Trey.  
  
"How did you come to that conclusion?"  
  
"How you act. I'm surprised the entire school doesn't know that you have feelings for her, although right at this moment she won't give you the time of day and that kills you, doesn't it?"  
  
"I do not have feelings for that Mudblood half-breed."  
  
Trey took offense to that, something he rarely inclined himself to do that he stood up straight and walked over to Malfoy, his height a good three inches taller than Malfoy's six-foot stature.  
  
"I know you do, Damon, you won't admit it for she's the only girl in this place who isn't trying to get into your pants. You hate it that she prefers Potter to you; her whole attitude judges you without really knowing you by how you present yourself to this school and your numerous conquests of the female population. It eats you up inside to see her with Potter and Weasley because in your mind they are unworthy. Have I just about covered it?"  
  
Damon ran an absentminded hand through his silky blond hair, no gel or slick-easy spell on it because after 2nd year he was discussed how pimp- like it made him look.  
  
"She's better off with them."  
  
"If that's the way you feel you'll never let her see you as anyone but who you make yourself up to be."  
  
"What's your connection to her?" Damon demanded, his patience gone.  
  
Trey stopped at the door, his hand on the handle.  
  
"For the record, all we have is a connection."  
  
Damon watched Trey close the door as Damon felt his anger at the whole situation build up that his rage came out as he punched his fist into the nearest stone wall, blood oozed from his now bloody knuckles and the pain ran up his arm. It took his mind off of Granger for a minute before his thoughts returned to her again.  
  
~  
  
The next few weeks passed in a blurred motion of time. James demanded rather than requested practice for the last two and a half weeks until November when Quidditch officially started for the season. Coming in half caked in mud and grass wasn't unusual as the practices got fiercer and so did the weather. Cold was setting in, the morning dew turned to frost on the grass that all seven of the players were bundled up only to come back to their dormitory wet, cold and hungry.  
  
Polishing her Lightning Flash, the newest fastest broom on the market that was made specifically with girl Quidditch players in mind, with her Broom Servicing Kit that night before the game tomorrow, starting right after classes ended for the weekend Roe yawned as James and Sebastian came into the Common Room with grins on their faces.  
  
"If it isn't Dweedle Dumb and Dweedle Dee, where have you two been?"  
  
"Out." Their simultaneous answer echoed in the room, fire roaring in the fireplace as scattered Gryffindors played games, studied or just talked.  
  
"Really? Where?" Roe's inquiry got a guilty look on Sebastian's face while James smiled like the charmer he was.  
  
"Curiosity killed the cat, Roe." James informed his friend.  
  
"Good thing I'm not feline."  
  
Sebastian did a very well played out yawn, stretching his arms high above his head his mouth wide open.  
  
"Catching flies, 'Bastian?" Roe wondered.  
  
"Well, I'm bushed. Night, Roe." Sebastian ran up the boy dormitory stairs without another word.  
  
"Alright, what did you two do and how many house points is it going to take from us?"  
  
James's innocent expression didn't fool her for one minute; he simply kissed her forehead in a brotherly gesture and went up to his bed. A giggle sounded out of Winnie, who was helping Lily study.  
  
"And what is so funny?"  
  
"Those two. Just leave it alone, Roe, you don't want to ruin everything do you?"  
  
"Ruin what?"  
  
Lily crinkled up her nose.  
  
"James and Sebastian are playing a party.."  
  
That was as far as the girl got before Winnie put her hand over her younger cousin's mouth.  
  
"A party? Why?"  
  
But that was left alone as the bell chimed ten o' clock and Professor McGonagall entered to tell them to get to bed. Packing away her broom, Roe felt a presence at the back of her mind that she was keeping a secret. Her dreams were plagued by unseen evils and she hated sleep right now. The retreating Professor, who paused, noticed her reluctance.  
  
"Is something the matter, Miss Granger?"  
  
"No, Professor just worried about the game tomorrow."  
  
Winnie shook her head at the Professor.  
  
"She's been having nightmares."  
  
Roe's glare silenced any further comments from Winnie.  
  
"Really? Are they bad?"  
  
"Kind of."  
  
"Well if you need a sleeping draft let Pomfrey know."  
  
Roe nodded and let the Professor leave before turning her eyes on Winnie.  
  
"Just how do you know that?"  
  
"Velvet. You keep them all awake and she said last night you were screaming as if you were in pain."  
  
"I'm fine."  
  
Winnie's facial expression stated she didn't believe Roe.  
  
"No, you're not. You've had them before when you spent spring break at our house and even your mom.."  
  
"I'm fine." Roe's statement was pronounced by the icy look in her eyes.  
  
Winnie just shook her head and headed to bed.  
  
Sighing the elder girl gathered her belongings and headed upstairs. Her eyes trailed the bed as if it was evil, looking all inviting that she fell right to sleep and into the dream world where words, deeds, and pictures flooded her mind of an evil that was no longer sleeping. It scarred her and her brother at birth. The pale, peach-colored snake shaped scar on their backs near their left side belonged to the Cursed, the two people destined to bring down each other and the world they lived in. The nightmares had started when she came to Hogwarts, her entire life one big mystery about her parents and why had she and Trey been given these marks. It hurt to think that she might have to fight her brother, other than the school activities mandated. That she might hurt the world she felt removed from, her excitement gone from magic the instant her nightmares became more bloody, hideous and plain evil that she feared hurting everyone. Wishing she was normal..wishing she was Muggle...because to her that was the only way it was going to stop this constant fear in the back of her mind.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Next chapter soon..hopefully Chapter 3: Quidditch and Secrets  
  
December 28, 2001 


	3. Quidditch and Secrets

AN: Love the reviews!! And I don't own HP.  
  
Mark Of The Snake  
  
Chapter 3: Quidditch and Secrets  
  
Written by: V Lynne  
  
Echoinghearts@yahoo.com  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Ambrosia Granger couldn't remember being more nervous. Honestly, it was as if she hadn't ever played a Quidditch game before which she had many times since her second year. She was the best Seeker on Gryffindor's team since James's illustrious father, Harry Potter, or so that was what she was constantly told. To her she was good but not that good.  
  
In the changing room, separated into Boy and Girl, of course she pulled on the specially made Quidditch robes of the Gryffindor colors. Stifling a yawn with the back of her right hand, as she hadn't slept due to dreams and anxiety over today's game, she grinned at the only other female on the Quidditch team, Priscilla Weasley. The signature red hair was pulled into a tight ponytail, the 7th year daughter of Percy and Penelope Clearwater, was as unlike her stuffy parents as could be and that's why Roe got along with Pris so well.  
  
"Didn't sleep much, eh, Roe?"  
  
"How'd you tell?" Roe asked, causing them both to laugh.  
  
"Well better not let old Demanding Potter find out you were not sleeping or else he'll personally give you a piece of his mind."  
  
"As opposed to me just faking my Snitching abilities today?"  
  
"That's our girl. If all else fails pretend to know what you are doing."  
  
That caused more laughter to echo through the changing room, until a knock came on the door and Priscilla opened it to see the other five members of the team. James's eyes took in their appearance and a grin spread over his features.  
  
"We are going to win."  
  
"Look into your Divination crystal ball this morning, Jamie?" Roe teased, as the snickers of the other Quidditch members were quickly hidden from their fearless leader's glare.  
  
"Let's get out there."  
  
Into the bright sunlight, their brooms firmly beneath them, the commentator was performed by none other than another Weasley, this time Sebastian Weasley. Beside him in the stands were Winnie, Lily, Wynter, Velvet, Topaz and a mass of Gryffindor supporters along with Professor McGonagall.  
  
"And here they are folks, the pride of Gryffindor, the best team in over fifteen years our Quidditch professionals! Coming out first is our Beater team, the unbeatable Ian McDonald and Lance Thomas. Following close the unstoppable Weasley Chasers; Priscilla, Forrest and Garrett. The girl with the quickest hands our Seeker, Roe Granger and last but certainly not least the dependable anchor on the team, our Keeper and Captain, James Potter!"  
  
Cheers rose that deafened the sounds of the booing by the Slytherin supporters, since Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Gryffindor were cheering loudly. Professor McGonagall touched Sebastian's shoulder and pointed to the waiting Slytherin team to be announced. Sighing with disgust he announced Slytherin.  
  
"Our opposing team and today's losers..." Sebastian felt a reprimand look from Professor McGonagall from behind him not to mention Snape's glare from across the field, "the Slytherin team. The Beaters are Avery and Bletchley, the Chasers are Bole, Montague and the Captain Flint, the Keeper Baddock and the lowest snake on the toldem pole the Seeker Malfoy."  
  
Winnie was giggling under her breath at her brother's words that got him another angered stare from Snape as well as from the Slytherin players. Sebastian only grinned at their outrage while Madam Hooch brought out the chest that held the four balls that were needed for the game, unlocking the chest she whistled signaling the players to make ready as she let out the Snitch, the golden ball size of a large walnut with tiny silver wings, followed by the Bludgers, a set of jet black balls that were balls with minds of their own that loved to knock players off their brooms and then the last ball, Quaffle a bright red ball size of a soccer ball that the Chasers were in charge of.  
  
And the players were off. Priscilla had the Quaffle in her hand, passing it back to Forrest, who threw it to Garrett while Flint, Bole, and Montague were after them. Avery and Bletchley were using their clubs to use against the Bludgers against McDonald and Thomas. James was at the end protecting their goals, with Baddock at the other end near the golden poles with hoops while Roe was trying to find the Snitch and keep an eye out for Malfoy.  
  
The oohs and awes of the crowd became a background noise while she searched the sky for the small golden object. The air around her whooshed as she sailed on her broom, that had perfect balance no matter where Roe situated her weight. As she became almost two hundred feet in the air, the going ons beneath her were blurred as she caught sight of Montague elbowing Priscilla and snatching the Quaffle while trying to goal only to have James knock the ball away just in time. Shouts of encouragement to both teams continued that Roe felt removed from it. Her target wasn't yet in sight. Eyes scanning the baby-blue setting she tried to focus on where it could be only to have the annoying feeling that someone was watching her, sure enough as she glanced over her shoulder Malfoy was sitting on his broom looking like he had nothing better to do with that stupid smirk on his lips.  
  
"For Merlin's sake, Malfoy, don't you have something to do?" Roe's annoyed tone only made his smirk wider.  
  
"You know I just wanted to see how a Mudblood catches a Snitch."  
  
Roe's eye caught sight of her search. Taunting the fact that Malfoy's back was to it, the Snitch fluttered in the air an inch above Malfoy's snow- white head. Clearing her thoughts so as to not give away that the Snitch was right within his reach, she shrugged.  
  
"I've done it before, in fact everytime we've played you minus one time I've caught the Snitch, now why is that? Too busy staring at yourself in the mirror?"  
  
"Pretty sure of yourself, aren't you, Granger?"  
  
Roe decided, given his cocky attitude that she could use his own ego against him, with a sly smile she brought her broom closer her Lightning Flash against his male model of the same broom called Thunder Strike. Her face got closer to his, she could see the surprise register in his stormy gray eyes that she was doing this, her arm reached out, looking like it was going to touch his hair and in the last second, a piercing sensation caught her breath in her throat as her hand clasped around the Golden Snitch at the same time she collapsed.  
  
The free falling, wind separating itself as the girl fell had screams rising up out of the crowds, had the players stopping. The shout of her name over the players was made by Sebastian, the flash of green appeared, and she was caught. Strong arms held her against a warm chest, her eyes fluttered as she locked glances with Damon Malfoy, his arm holding him firmly as they came to the ground where another flicker of green past in her eye sight that she recognized Trey, along with a racing Sebastian, followed by Winnie, Lily, and Professor McGonagall.  
  
James landed, practically jumping off the broom and running towards the gathered group near the entrance of the changing rooms, he didn't even see that Snape's hands were in tight fists at his side having come down the Slytherin side but had not moved to his fallen daughter.  
  
"What's wrong with her?" Trey demanded emotion in his voice that shocked Winnie.  
  
Malfoy pulled his hand from under her to see blood covering his entire arm that had supported her additional weight. A sharp sound came from Professor McGonagall in the form of 'Pomfrey' and with a feeling of loss Malfoy didn't expect to feel, James picked up the unconscious Roe from Malfoy's hold and made the immediate move towards the school and Pomfrey's office.  
  
~  
  
Professor Dumbledore had cleared out the hospital wing when James took in Roe's limp form into the white room, placing her gently on the bed with Sebastian right behind him. Pomfrey questioned the boys, neither noticing that Malfoy was waiting at the entrance of the hospital wing before he was moved away by the entering McGonagall with Trey and Snape.  
  
A soft moan of pain escaped Roe's bloodless lips before she twisted the act of trying to lesson pain even in her unawake state.  
  
"Out, all of you," Poppy Pomfrey instructed, "I need to find out what is going on..."  
  
Gold fell from Roe's clenched fist that James almost shouted that they won but her health meant so much more to him than winning a game. Ushering the boys out, McGonagall's eyes lingered on a distant Malfoy, she touched Trey's arm who looked about as out-of-it as any of the other three boys.  
  
"We'll look after her." she assured him, before he turned around and made his way back to the Quidditch field.  
  
Snape, Dumbledore, McGonagall and Pomfrey saw colors flood Roe's face before fading. Kneeling next to her bedside Poppy turned Roe over to see the wound that was bleeding over the white sheets. Hidden beneath the Quidditch garment, she looked to Dumbledore and he nodded leaving taking Snape's arm only to have him yank his arm out of the Headmaster's grip.  
  
"I will stay."  
  
Dumbledore didn't say anything to his friend. Poppy undressed Roe, removing the offending clothing until the wound was visible. A gasp echoed out of the nurse's mouth so that Minerva and Snape came over. Snape felt the bottom of his stomach drop out.  
  
The snake scar, the birthmark, that caused no end of worry to him and Hermione seemed to be itself the cause of the massive bleeding. Around the edges of the mark was opened and the life force blood was flowing with no end in sight. As he peered closer, to Poppy's dismay, he found that above the mark, where the tear in the cloth was from was a purplish, yellow color that had hints of what he determined to be dragon's blood.  
  
"Dragon's blood? But that wouldn't...I mean it doesn't work as this looks to be..."  
  
"She's been poisoned with something that had Dragon's blood in it."  
  
McGonagall saw the parental concern come over his face.  
  
"I need to get to my cabinet." Snape told them, leaving in a cloud of black.  
  
Poppy was trying to stop the bleeding but only seemed to be making the poison move faster through the girl's system.  
  
".....hurts........fire....." Incoherent words came from Roe as her body was racked with pain.  
  
"I know, Roe, I know....we're trying to help." Poppy reassured the girl.  
  
".....please...."  
  
Not ten minutes later Snape was back his arms full of antidotes that had them all working into the night.  
  
Finally as Snape mixed bits of a bezoar stone with Dumbledore's gathered Phoenix tears, he set the mixture in the wound that seemed to hiss like a snake at them before closing. The snake scar slowed its bleeding but didn't heal over like it should. This worried them all.  
  
"She needs blood and lots of it," Poppy informed them, "her pulse is weak and she's lost too much blood to be able to hold on for much longer."  
  
"A Blood Bond must be preformed."  
  
Three shocked faces met to Dumbledore's half-moon glassed covered eyes.  
  
"That ritual is forbidden. It can not be preformed without permission from the Ministry..." Minerva warned.  
  
"Would you let her die because of some stupid stipulation?!" Snape demanded, "Roe will not die because I will not let it."  
  
Poppy watched the conflicting emotions on their faces.  
  
"If we do this it must be before midnight or else she has no chance. Whoever did this knew exactly what he was doing."  
  
"I will get the boys." Dumbledore told them.  
  
"Boys?"  
  
"Who else? Those four boys care enough about her to come here. She needs blood and rather than have her risk hurting her friends by sucking all the blood out of one why not use four?"  
  
"Including Malfoy?" Snape snapped.  
  
"Mr. Malfoy did not have to save Roe today but he did. He is as much a part of this as James, Sebastian or Trey."  
  
"If he lays one finger.."  
  
"He will not be alone, Severus. Perhaps you need to clear your head before we begin."  
  
Snape sighed, as Dumbledore left taking Roe's hand in his.  
  
"I will save you from this, Roe, he won't get you. Either of you."  
  
~  
  
Dumbledore's unexpected presence at the entrances of both the Gryffindor and Slytherin common rooms caused commotion from the paintings that guarded the passageways. Dumbledore went to each boy's bed, woke them and made them follow him. As four extremely exhausted sixteen year old boys followed him to the hospital wing, they entered the room glowing a eerie blue with four huge bubbles that looked like someone had supersized a Bubbleheard Charm. The bubbles floated two feet in the air with a fifth one occupied by a scantily clad unconscious Roe.  
  
"What is going on, Professor?" James inquired.  
  
Snape appeared from one of the other rooms with a curved-ended silver knife in his hand. Four boys took a big step backward.  
  
"We need your help," Dumbledore told them gravely, "while we have managed to remove the poison from Miss Granger's system," all boys echoed the same revelation of poison, "she is still very weak and fragile due to her blood loss."  
  
"Two words I would never use to describe Roe." Sebastian quietly commented.  
  
"What do you need with us?" Malfoy demanded his voice colder than he meant it to be.  
  
"Your blood." Poppy chimed in.  
  
"Our blood?"  
  
"Yes. By taking your blood, magically, we insert it inside Miss Granger therefore sustaining her life and not draining you of yours."  
  
"A Blood Bond." Trey's voice was a shadow, as he took in his twin's state.  
  
"Precisely. While not allowed we have no other choice, so if any of you four do not wish to be involved in this speak up now."  
  
"I understand why we're here but what is he," Sebastian's distaste clear as he glared at the equally disdainful Malfoy, "doing here?"  
  
"Mr. Malfoy saved your friend from further injury and has as much right to be involved as you do, Mr. Weasley."  
  
"Just think, with Malfoy pure-blood in her she might come after me, Weasley?"  
  
"Not on your life, ferret."  
  
"Children, please reframe from name calling," McGonagall interrupted, "our time is limited."  
  
"Alright," Sebastian gave in, "but if he does anything suspicious..."  
  
Malfoy rolled his eyes, as Dumbledore instructed them over to Snape, still holding the creepy knife.  
  
"Each of you need to hold out your right hand, palm up, and brace yourself."  
  
Snape looked at each boy before he drew the knife down the center of each of their palms, causing each boy to automatically close their fists in a protective manner.  
  
"Now, put your cut palm to the bubble and enter it."  
  
As they each did so, a warm almost orange glow surrounded them and they were all inside the bubble, warm and peaceful.  
  
Snape went to Roe's bubble, a deep reddish color, and touched the outside of it before he nodded to Dumbledore.  
  
"From blood that flows,  
  
give life renewal  
  
send blood from thee  
  
into one that need  
  
of fire and water  
  
the blood flows  
  
transfer the energy  
  
to the victim and  
  
forever more be bound"  
  
As he finished the incantation, a spark flew out of each boys palm, causing pain to lace their bodies as the blood turned to almost red tiny fires and proceeded from the four bubbles to cross over into Roe's bubble. The blood went directly to her wound, softening the glow of her bubble to the normal human aura of orange, for it seemed like eternity it was only a few moments as it was from four boys rather than from one person to person as it had only been preformed before.  
  
As it ended, the bubbles floated down and four boys dropped to the stone flooring of the infirmary with soft thuds. Snape picked up Roe, whose breathing was even and led her back to her bed, before taking out a vial of clear liquid and forcing her to swallow it. Kissing her forehead, he moved her under the blankets, as the boys all woke up with groans.  
  
"Well done, gentlemen, you are indeed valiant to have risked so much and now its noble of you to have your minds linked with hers." Poppy excitedly announced.  
  
That got four boys to stare at her and then to Dumbledore.  
  
"What did she mean by that?" Malfoy icily questioned.  
  
"What she means," Minerva glared at Poppy, "is that by doing the Blood Bond you four have telepathically linked yourselves to Miss Granger."  
  
"She can read our thoughts?" Sebastian asked astonished and a tad scared.  
  
"Only if she wishes it."  
  
"How does this telepathy work, Professor?" James wondered.  
  
"Unfortunately with it being five of you rather than two we can have no absolute clue as to how connected you will be."  
  
"And you didn't have to foresight to tell us before hand and now we'll have a bloody girl in our minds?" Malfoy exploded, "Wonderful."  
  
"Maybe we were a little hasty...." McGonagall started, "but it was for her sake."  
  
Malfoy threw a disgusted look at Roe's sleeping form, before stocking out of the Hospital Wing.  
  
"Until we know just what this is going to do I wouldn't jump to conclusions just yet, although Malfoy already has," James told the remaining two.  
  
Trey nodded his agreement while Sebastian looked about as uncomfortable with this as Malfoy had.  
  
"I gave her Draught of Living Death," Snape told them, "she won't be awake for three days."  
  
"You three may return to your dormitories."  
  
"What about...." Sebastian opened his palm to see that the wound was gone.  
  
"In the ceremony all wounds are healed. Have a good night, gentlemen."  
  
"How the in the world does she expect us to have a good night?" Sebastian grumbled.  
  
~  
  
The entire school was a buzz of wonderment and rumors at the unexpected fall of Roe and that Gryffindor had won, much to the Slytherin's calls of unfairness only to have not only McGonagall but Snape as well tell them that Roe had indeed caught the Snitch before her fall and had not let it go the entire time she had fallen.  
  
Winnie visited Roe the third day, her mind wondering what could have done this to her friend and seeing the silent shadow of Trey watching over Roe that Winnie felt a twinge of jealousy but knew it was because Trey had done that Blood Bond with her that he felt close to Roe. Sebastian and James had sworn her to secrecy about the ritual after she pestered them all yesterday about it until 'Bastian finally gave in.  
  
"You know Roe, some girls are starting to say that you did that whole damsel in distress thing to get more attention than you already do. Really unfair of them but I have to admit it is a good deal. Four of the hottest guys on campus constantly looking after you, even I wish I was you."  
  
Winnie felt the hand she had placed over Roe's, the creamy skin moved under Winnie's paler skin and she felt the unwavering eyes of Roe on her face.  
  
"Hey, if you want to lay in bed for days on end be my guest." Roe's sarcastic comment came as the brunette shifted on the bed and fell back as Winnie drew her into a full hug.  
  
"Oww."  
  
"Oops, sorry, Roe."  
  
Winnie pulled back with a bright smile across her pretty face.  
  
"Miss me, eh, kiddo?"  
  
"Someone had to. I mean other than half the male population that now thinks you're the hottest thing since last weeks Potions class."  
  
Roe laughed, only to wince in pain. Her body was still healing.  
  
"Good to see you up, Gryffindor." Trey's stoic face came into view and Roe smiled.  
  
"Keeping out of trouble, Slytherin?"  
  
"As much as possible, though your little redheaded friend was sure giving Potter and Weasley all the trouble they'd need for about a month."  
  
Winnie bowed her head, her face red with embarrassment.  
  
"Careful, Slytherin, Winnie here is a Weasley too. Scary bunch of redheads, aren't they?"  
  
Trey observed how the fourteen-year-old grew even redder at the remark, a very becoming red at that.  
  
"Indeed, but I see at least she got the obvious looks in the family."  
  
"Uh, thanks. Roe, I gotta go get Bastian and James, promise not to go anywhere?"  
  
"I thought about flying to Neptune in a few minutes but I guess I can put that off to see them."  
  
"Funny, Roe." Winnie said before high tailing it out of there.  
  
"She's a cute kid."  
  
Roe's eyebrows lifted in amazement.  
  
"Taking interest in the opposite sex now? Shall I ring the Daily Prophet? And since when do you use the word 'cute'? You and that word aren't exactly sympathico if memory serves."  
  
"Do you always talk this much when you are sick cause this might be the reason for the whole no boyfriend?"  
  
Roe lifted her hand to smack him just as Pomfrey came in.  
  
"Well, Sleeping Beauty awakens. How are you, Miss Granger?"  
  
"Oh, you know. Feel like I've swallowed something that should never be named, fell off my broom during a Quidditch game...." Roe's look turned to concern, "did we win?"  
  
"Yes, Miss Granger, Gryffindor won."  
  
"Bet Jamie's happy about that."  
  
"Not as happy as seeing you awake, Roe." James's voice echoed in the room, that Trey moved away from her bed so that Sebastian and James could come closer.  
  
"Jamie! Bastian!" they took turns giving ginger hugs to her, as Winnie had advised them she was still in pain.  
  
"Looks like someone has serious admirers," Jamie whistled at the load of flowers in the room, "did a flower shop blow up in here?"  
  
"Jealous because I've got more attraction potential than you?"  
  
"So that's how it is and here we were sure that fall would knock some braincells into that head of yours."  
  
"He's been a bunch of fun to live with these past three days, Roe," Sebastian filled in with a amused laugh, "pacing like a caged animal all angry at people, acting surprisingly enough like Malfoy that I suggested he dye his head to that pale blond."  
  
"Really, now that is something I would pay Galleons to see. How about it, Oh-Moody-One?"  
  
"As much as I'm sure Pomfrey is enjoying our teen antics I think we have Potions." Trey interrupted.  
  
"You are taking Potions? Since when?"  
  
"Since you got sick."  
  
As Jamie and Bastian left with Winnie waving to see her later, Trey watched them leave before sitting on the bed.  
  
"Don't scare me like that again, Roe, I mean it." His voice serious.  
  
"Like I meant to do that?"  
  
"You will be more careful."  
  
"You are starting to act like a overprotective bully, you know that?"  
  
"I love you, I don't want anything to happen to you."  
  
"I love you, too and nothing is going to happen to me," Roe glanced over herself, before cheekily adding, "at least not in the next ten minutes."  
  
"I'll make sure that Snape knows you are awake, so expect him later. Get some rest."  
  
"Like I haven't been doing that for the last couple of days?" Roe muttered as he left.  
  
Outside the room, Trey turned the left corner, having come out and not seen Malfoy leaning against the right wall having heard the last couple of statements of Trey to Roe. He knew Trey loved her, but what surprised him was that Roe loved Trey. She didn't act it and for some reason his entire head shouted at him that she should be his, not Trey's and sure as hell not Potter's.  
  
~  
  
Roe was tired of the infirmary the next day that she told everyone that if they wanted to lock her up somewhere it might as well be her dormitory. Merlin knew she was sick of having people fuss over her and missed being able to do things for herself. Dressing, as it was now Tuesday, she put on a pair of loose blue draw-string pants, with a white loose tank top, pulling her robe over it, careful not disturb her bandages on her left side, she slid her feet into comfy sheep-wool lined moccasins, having Winnie pull her hair into a elaborate two braids that separated her hair from the top of her head down to her ears and the last of it in identical braids to a couple inches below her shoulders. She looked much better and felt it too.  
  
Walking down the corridors and hallways she felt eyes on her but ignored them. Tired of being an invalid she was going to go to class, entering a minute late to Potions, Snape's eyes watched her.  
  
"Late, Miss Granger? Prefects should set better examples." His voice scolding.  
  
"I am sorry, Professor, it won't happen again. Who knew that getting here from the hospital wing was such a hassle?"  
  
Snickers and chuckles from amazingly enough both Gryffindors and Slytherins caused a fleeting smile on his lips only to have it disappear into the normal scowl as he surveyed the students.  
  
"As I said, Miss Granger, I will not tolerate tardiness, I suggest you find your seat and 5 points off Gryffindor."  
  
Sitting next to James and Sebastian, both with huge grins on their faces, she enjoyed the rest of class for once. As soon as it ended they went out the doors and around the corner so Roe didn't have to walk far again as they had DADA next, both cracked up with laughter.  
  
"I see that bed rest hasn't stopped your timing, Roe. He was just about to cut into me and James when you walked in."  
  
"Always glad to be of service."  
  
"Servicing already, Granger?" the snide comment came from Malfoy's voice, as he came around the corner with Ebony, Avery, and strange enough Trey with him.  
  
"Never to tired to be of service, Malfoy," her tone as suggestive as his own, "why don't you go find some bubbleheaded Slytherin girl to take your comments seriously instead of wasting your 'charms' on me. For some reason snakes don't do it for me."  
  
Amazed at her audacity, as were the other three that knew her, Malfoy already had a come back.  
  
"That's not what I hear. I think snakes are just up your alley, Granger, especially anti-social ones."  
  
Malfoy watched her eyes narrow.  
  
"Want to clue me into your self-centered mind?"  
  
^How about this Granger, I heard you tell Trey that you loved him^ Malfoy thought.  
  
Clearly as though he had spoken to her she read his thought.  
  
"Eavesdropping now? How quaint. When you grow up out of your childish ways of not getting everything you want the second you want it and crying about it, come see me so I can tell you where to shove..."  
  
"Hey, hey." James broke in, Sebastian and him having exchanged looks that said obviously the telepathy link had clicked in.  
  
"Mind if we borrow Malfoy?" Sebastian asked Ebony and Avery before nodding to Trey and both of them taking him by the arms and leading the five of them to a closed empty classroom.  
  
"Get your arms off me, Weasley." Malfoy growled as they let him go.  
  
"Just what did you tell Roe in that head of yours?" James demanded.  
  
"Nothing, if she wasn't so open-minded to read other people's thoughts she would never have heard it."  
  
"You wanted me to hear it, you scum-sucking ferret."  
  
"Careful, Granger, or your boyfriend might think you like me."  
  
"Like you? I'd like to kill you!"  
  
"Boyfriend?" Sebastian questioned.  
  
"That's right, gents, little Miss Perfect Prefect left out a small detail that she's been dating Trey on the side while stringing you two losers along."  
  
"We are not dating, we can't." Trey informed James and Sebastian.  
  
"Can't? What did Daddy Snape forbid you to mingle with Mudbloods?" Malfoy sneered.  
  
Trey took it upon himself at that moment to pin Malfoy by his shoulder to the wall, using one hand because while Malfoy was equally as strong as both James and Sebastian he was nothing compared to Trey.  
  
"Watch what you say about my sister." Trey snarled before removing his hand.  
  
"Sister?"  
  
"That's right," Roe admitted, "when you heard me tell him I love him is because I do, he's my brother."  
  
"If he's your brother..." Sebastian thought out loud, "then Snape and your mom?"  
  
"About damn time you got two and two together, Weasley."  
  
"Shut up, Malfoy."  
  
"He's my twin brother, just he was raised by Snape, I rarely call him Dad by the way and I was raised by our mom. It was arranged when we were born."  
  
"Why all the secrets?" James asked.  
  
Roe and Trey looked at each other.  
  
^Should you tell them?^ Trey thought.  
  
"I guess I should," Roe concluded, glaring at Malfoy, "but what I say stays here and since I can read thoughts that believe me is a gift I don't want, cause Merlin only knows what boys think about twenty-four seven, I can tell if you tell anyone."  
  
"Fine, just hurry up already."  
  
"Ever heard of the Cursed?"  
  
Malfoy's eyebrows lifted about two inches.  
  
"Why am I not surprised that you have?" Roe continued, "The Cursed are the twins thought to be the ending of everything, magic wise. The Destroyers of Magic, Bringers of the End, you get the picture. Well because of that Mom and Snape decided it was best just to separate us that way people wouldn't be all scared about us. The stupid scar that Boy Wonder," Roe referred to Trey, "thought would look better as a tattoo and the one I hide. That's why no one knows we're siblings and who my real dad is or who Trey's mom is."  
  
"What a thing to have to live under." Sebastian considered.  
  
"No worse than having your father hunted because he outlived a Killing Curse." Roe said to James, who smiled.  
  
"So really the question should be," Malfoy pursued, "is which one of you is the Good Twin and which one of you is the Bad Twin?"  
  
Roe rolled her eyes before the bell rang and they had to get to class. James caught her arm.  
  
"If no one knows then why did you get hurt, or rather poisoned?"  
  
"Because Voldemort isn't dead, James, not by a long shot."  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Look, more writing... what a wonderful thing.....Chapter 4: Insight.....Coming soon  
  
December 30, 2001 


	4. Insight

AN: Again thanks to the reviewers. I appreciate all the feedback. Really. (  
  
Mark Of The Snake  
  
Chapter 4: Insight  
  
Written by: V Lynne  
  
echoinghearts@yahoo.com  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Two days later, when everything seemed quiet, all hell broke loose in a manner of speaking. Starting with the arrival of two different groups.  
  
The shock of being told that the man or creature, depending on your point of view, that had wanted his dad dead and turned out was killed by his dad, Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger with the help of Draco Malfoy wasn't dead was a blow to his system. James couldn't believe it, didn't want to believe it but he had no reason to doubt Roe. She out of anyone knew of the nightmares that plagued him where he dreamed of his parents' deaths to die at the hand of Voldemort just like his grandparents had.  
  
Thinking of Roe, James thought as he played with his quill going over his notes and then to the paper he was writing for History of Magic, she was being awfully quiet. Very un-Roe like since he's known her for years, from diapers practically, and Roe was not one to be not seen doing something. Even that horrendous music she was bound and determined to listen to no matter the trouble it put her in wasn't playing up in the dormitory. Curious he dropped his quill onto the parchment that was half finished, he moved his chair back and walked past the fire where Forrest and Garrett were playing Wizard Chess, Sebastian making up his Divination homework while Lily, Winnie, and Carnation Wood, another 4th year and Winnie's friend, were looking over the Witches Weekly. Walking up to were the start of the stairs that led up to the girl dormitory, he leaned against the side and waited for one of the 6th year girls to come down. Finally he spotted Topaz.  
  
"Let me guess you want her Royal Highness to come down, right?" Topaz inquired with a dramatic sigh.  
  
"If you could get her."  
  
"Sure thing, James, and by the way just what are you planning to do about the P-A-R-T-Y?"  
  
Unnoticed by both Topaz and James was the figure of Roe, who lifted an eyebrow and rolled her eyes.  
  
"Cause we all know that Roe can't spell." Roe sarcastically informed Topaz, who was startled.  
  
"Oh, Roe, I didn't see you."  
  
"Obviously."  
  
James grinned at Roe's impatience with the vapid headed Topaz. Walking around the girl Roe came down in her robes and with her finishing off her braid, using a band to keep it in place.  
  
"You were being quiet, it scared me." James admitted as they went over to the table where his work was laid out. Taking a vacant chair, she sat down and put her chin on her folded arms lying on the table.  
  
"Really? How interesting." Roe whispered, her voice filled with exhaustion.  
  
Concerned, James moved a hand to her forehead causing her to look under his hand at him.  
  
"What are you doing?"  
  
"Checking to see if you have a fever."  
  
"Why? I'm tired, not sick, Jamie."  
  
"He just wants a reason to touch you." Sebastian informed, only to have the air knocked out of his lungs by a sharp elbow to the stomach provided by James.  
  
"He doesn't need a reason, 'Bastian," Roe's good mood returned by the prospect of teasing the red head, "do you?"  
  
"I ...um...no?"  
  
Roe giggled at his answer, sitting up in her chair.  
  
"Good thing you weren't thinking of anything at the moment or else I would know if you were lying."  
  
Instantly both boys glanced at each other and then her.  
  
"Sorry but I'm too drained to read your minds, it takes a lot of energy to read thoughts."  
  
Relief showed on their faces that she shook her head at them.  
  
"I'm going to go read in the library, listen to forbidden music and take a nap."  
  
"Good idea, get back to normal, you are frightening the first years by your being normal." Sebastian told her.  
  
Throwing a pillow from the chair she was sitting at directly hitting him in the face, causing laughter by the resident Gryffindors, she exited the passageway and went in search of music, reading, and sleep.  
  
~  
  
Damon Malfoy stood in his own Slytherin dormitory, which was always like a glacier it was so cold, he stood in front of his mirror letting it admire him. The cut of his robe that accented all his features the simple black robe threaded with silver at the seams that matched his silver-gray eyes. Hearing the shrill voices of Ebony Montague and Giselle Bole, catching his name, he had to think of one of the secret passages that lined most of the Slytherin house because anything was better than facing those twin banshee. Finding the one in the 6th year boy dormitory he pressed in the brick that opened it and followed it out so that he came down to right next to the Great Hall entrance doors. Thanking his stars that neither half-wit females knew of any ways but the normal ones to get in and out of Slytherin House he closed the passage just as he caught sight of Roe Granger.  
  
He knew that she was off-limits. No one had to tell him twice, he understood perfectly even now more than ever just what had drawn him to her in first year. The underlining power she welded as well as her nature. A contradiction he was determined to figure out before they graduated next year. Sassy, sarcastic, funny and not to mention she was pretty combined with her other self of being in control and perfect. Unfortunately she was the one girl in the school that hated him fully without any real need for him to earn that hatred. Parents being what they were, although his dad was not so hated by the elder Granger, Potter, or Weasley, it passed to her. She didn't think of him as anything other than Malfoy the ferret. A bane in her existence that he kept up that image for a purpose not bothering to correct her or her friends, only Trey knew and he doubted even now that Trey would tell his sister just who Damon was on the inside. He didn't understand why it bothered him inside that she hated him, only knowing that it did. Knowing that she wasn't a Mudblood yet still not a Pure Blood only made her more attractive to him. It was slowly driving him crazy that out of all the girls that vied for his attention she was the one he wanted but on no level was allowed to have. If he hadn't learned that by now he needed another meeting with Snape to clear that up.  
  
"Going somewhere, Prefect?" He asked, the underlining suggestive tone always a hint of what he wanted from her on more than one level.  
  
Expecting her reaction, the rolling of her cinnamon eyes and the defensive mood she switched to he could almost see it as if those were indeed switches she flipped on and off.  
  
"Couldn't find anyone else to harass?"  
  
"Well it is almost ten and you know," he perfected his smile to be charming, "you are the only one I want to harass, Granger."  
  
"Goody for me."  
  
"Without your protectors?"  
  
"Does it look like I need protection?"  
  
Oh, he had so many things he could say about that. She did look under the weather. Dark bags under her eyes, flushed cheeks, her hair damp from a recent bath that had his imagination running overtime, she looked healthy but completely exhausted.  
  
"No."  
  
"Well then can I pass or do I need to finish justifying that I want to walk around you some more?"  
  
Always with a snapped comment back, no one quite knew how to be as witty as she was maybe it was one of the reasons he delighted in ruffling her unruffable feathers.  
  
"About five more minutes should do it."  
  
"As much fun as that sounds I would rather not. How about you stand there looking all smug and proud of yourself until some female with a low self esteem comes by and you can bark up her tree all you want while I go around and find something better to do than to talk to you?"  
  
Straight to the heart. Why did her comments always have that poisoned tipped edge?  
  
"Go for it if you think you can get past me."  
  
Her eyes seemed to calculate her possibilities before he saw something he never expected to see from Granger. She looked defeated.  
  
"Can't I just do this one simple thing without it becoming a battle with you?"  
  
"If you'd finally admit you're attracted to me then maybe."  
  
Her eyebrows lifted as if shocked when he knew it would take a hell of a lot more than that to shock Granger.  
  
"In your dreams."  
  
"But we aren't talking about what I dream about, Granger. You know you never did explain your actions on the Quidditch field, using your broom to get closer to me, a hairs breath away from kissing me."  
  
"And you are delusional, it was tactic to get the Snitch, which I did because unlike you my brain doesn't not sit between my legs."  
  
^Does she always have to be so blunt?^ He thought.  
  
Roe heard him, her strength was letting her hear him even though it hadn't wanted to and she had wanted to hear Sebastian and James earlier. Why him, she thought, why now?  
  
"If I wasn't blunt what would be the point? It is much easier to insult someone when you know what you say is the truth," Roe came closer, her robes at her knees brushed his legs, "because as the old saying goes the truth hurts."  
  
"Oh really? And what about denying what you want can hurt you even more?"  
  
"How? I don't deny myself what I want."  
  
An open invitation to test that comment of hers, really the girl needed to watch what she said some people might take full advantage, like him.  
  
"Really?" his voice a whisper, "how about we test that?"  
  
Her eyes dilated and contracted like a cat's that it intrigued him. Roe's reactions to him always varied but not once could she completely hide her mutual attraction to him. He had touched her hand once and her skin felt like it was on fire beneath his, reacting to his very presence it was a heady feeling. No girl had ever done that to him.  
  
Stepping closer, her instinct was to step back until he trapped her body between the outside of the passage that he had exited out of and his own body. Fright didn't register in her eyes, he didn't think it would she had too much self respect to be frightened of just a normal body reaction, but almost like denial appeared on her face. She actually thought by force of will she could deny what she wanted, contradicting her earlier words and he hadn't even touched her yet. Interesting that just by putting proximity between them she was conflicting in her head and body. His mouth passed by her ear, he inhaled absorbing the smell of strawberries and cinnamon that always seemed to cling to her, before his warm breath brushed her perfect earlobe and he heard her pulse jump.  
  
"Malfoy, I."  
  
He smiled; even now she put up shields using his last name as a last resort of salvation from her starved senses. Damon knew Potter and Weasley didn't do this to her, they couldn't both were too thick headed to see the woman they had right under their noses then more fools they. He saw her as she was, a warm very responsive woman and in his mind for the moment she was his.  
  
"What, Granger?"  
  
Her voice trembled like she couldn't form coherent sentences that he almost smirked. If he did he knew she would catch on and that was the last thing he wanted. He wasn't letting Perfect Miss Prefect go under he sampled those berry-red lips that had been bugging him for days. Always caught between her teeth when she was deep in thought he had observed and damned himself for it because he was starting to sound like a love sick idiot.  
  
He bent his head a little, moving in so that his lips were on equal level with her petite stature and brushed his lips against her gone-pale ones. It was the smallest of caresses and he moved his lips again twice over hers barely touching her lips. Teasing at them, before giving into his dominate nature and deepening the kiss. Bringing his lips in full contact with her own, meshing their mouths like he would like to do with other parts of their body but knew he couldn't right now. A small opening parted her lips and his tongue took full advantage escaping his own mouth and entering without delay into her own. Tasting, as if sipping at her taste like it was some drink he couldn't get enough of, he flicked his tongue in her mouth until her own tongue was dueling with his a complete participant in this. His hands moved from the wall down to her waist bringing her up higher so that his mouth could get closer to hers, every nerve in his body screamed to get closer. Her hands rested on his shoulders before he felt the bite of her nails through his robe as she moaned into his mouth. His pleasure in having her in his arms again, the whole Quidditch accident not counting as she had been unconscious, made his grip on her tighten as if keeping her to him would deny the rest of the world forever. As he pulled his lips from hers, a whimper came unbidden from her lips and her eyes opened with shock and desire. He let her go to stand on her own two feet again, her look of disbelief of what they had just done, and he smoothed back a stray dark hair behind her ear.  
  
"Good night, Granger."  
  
With complete control or so he told himself he had he turned and left a very stunned petite brunette with swollen kissed lips staring after him.  
  
~  
  
Idiot. Fool. What did you expect some declaration of love? Roe berated herself as she chewed on Fizzing Whizbees, a levitating sherbet ball, while she sat in the library with her ears full of 'Crawlin' by the band Linkin Park. The librarian was in bed and the doors had been locked but a simple "Alohomora" and that was easily fixed.  
  
Going over the events in the hallway, how her body had betrayed her to the feel of Malfoy's warmth. Honestly, who knew a Slytherin could be so warm, she had wanted to crawl inside his skin. Lately she felt so cold. That when he kissed her it felt like her brain was malfunctioning that she couldn't get out the words 'no' or 'stop'. Her hands when she felt him lift her up for better access to her mouth had actually buried themselves in his robes with her thumbs played with the hair at the back of his head. The soft, blond strands felt like silk..  
  
"Ahhh." she growled.  
  
I do not like Malfoy, I will not think of Malfoy, I hate Malfoy. I like James, he is kind and sweet, one of my best friends. Malfoy is a self- absorbed git who belonged with Ebony Montague. Now that was a horrible thought, she admitted to herself. Ebony was undeserving of a guy who kissed like a god..  
  
She felt like slapping herself. Inhaling and exhaling to calm her overactive emotions and mind. Bad idea to head to the library to get rest because now she was more confused then before about what Malfoy inspired in her besides loathing. How could she kiss someone and not even like them? Was she fickle about her feelings for James? And why have she liked it? Why?  
  
Obviously sleep was not going to be her friend, again.  
  
~  
  
Waking up in her bed, Roe stared at her room. Something was wrong she had not fallen asleep in here. Her last thought had been how was she going to get to her room as her head hit the table and she woke up here. In her room, under the covers and in her pajamas.  
  
A wonderful thought occurred. What if my kiss with Malfoy was a dream? She rolled out of bed and spotted Velvet and Wynter coming out of the bathroom.  
  
"Well, morning Roe nice to see you up before noon."  
  
"I was here all night?" Roe asked.  
  
Velvet gave her a questioning look.  
  
"Well, we had kinda of a problem last night cause 'Bastian and James went looking for you when it was ten thirty and you hadn't come back here. So they found you asleep and brought you to bed. We put you in your pajamas and you slept."  
  
Roe groaned her luck. Damn it, I just have to think about that stupid kiss now don't I?  
  
"I wish I had your luck," Wynter piped up with, "having James carrying me around would be heaven."  
  
"And James carried me?"  
  
Both girls nodded. Roe went to her bed and flopped down on it, burying her head in her pillow and screamed. Worried, Velvet went over to Roe's bed.  
  
"Roe, are you alright?"  
  
"Fine. I'm just peachy," the Prefect told the girl, "I'm just going to go to the Prefect Bathroom and drown myself. Pay no attention."  
  
Gathering her things, she pulled on her robe and went to the Prefect Bathroom. The mermaid painting inside was splashing around in the painting as Roe locked the door, slipped out of her clothes and climbed into the huge pool-tub. Twisting the two handles for strawberry bubbles and cinnamon sprays she laid in there. It must have been twenty minutes as her nose filled with water did she realize she had fallen asleep. Getting out, dressing and going back to the dormitory noticing she had five minutes until first class, she hurried out and down to Care of Magical Animals.  
  
James and Sebastian both were already there when she got down to Hagrid's Hut where the class usually was held outside. Remembering that this was the class time with Slytherins, just like Potions and DADA, she avoided all eye contact with any Slytherin.  
  
"Sleep well?" Sebastian teased.  
  
"Oh, bugger off."  
  
"Someone got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning, dreaming of me again?" Damon Malfoy's voice interceded and she about wanting to crawl into a hole and die.  
  
"Like any girl with a brain would dream of you, Malfoy." Bastian informed the blond.  
  
"Just wondering. Who knows how girls think or how fickle their feelings are?"  
  
Roe was ready to run back to her dorm and stay there for the rest of the day when James took her hand, doing that rubbing over the back of her hand with his thumb calming motion he did so well. Roe didn't notice that Malfoy saw and was glaring at James with hatred.  
  
"Nice room you girls got." James said lightly, seeing a blush appear on her cheeks before she sighed and became confident Roe again.  
  
"Isn't it though? I have to admit I've been tempted to see the boys dormitory," Roe winked at Sebastian, "bet you guys got all kinds of things lying around."  
  
Sebastian turned about three shades of red, before clearing his throat.  
  
"Sorry, Roe, nothing that would interest you."  
  
^Note to self, clean up my collection of..^ Sebastian thought and stopped when he noticed that Roe seemed to be intently leaning his way that he knew she was reading his thought.  
  
"Stay out of my head, Roe!"  
  
"What?" Roe asked innocently, causing James to laugh.  
  
^You look like death worn over, Gryffindor, didn't sleep well?^ Trey's cool wind thought proceeded to invade her mind.  
  
Finding his eyes across the grass knoll she shook her head.  
  
^I bet if you knew that James had carried you to bed you would have slept well^ Trey teased.  
  
She narrowed her eyes at him wondering how he knew.  
  
^Everyone is talking about 'how romantic' it was^ Trey seemed to answer her question.  
  
Roe leaned and felt James's chest directly behind her head.  
  
"Tired, sleepy head?"  
  
"Whatever gave you that idea?" Roe wondered, then yawned.  
  
He put his hands on her shoulders to steady her while Hagrid made his appearance along with sphinx. Interested in the mythical being, Roe forgot all about being tired for the next hour of class. As it ended they heard a voice coming from the castle.  
  
"Will all students please proceed to the Great Hall for a meeting." Came Professor McGonagall's voice.  
  
Everyone looked at one another.  
  
"Better go 'ounguns. Professor want you be there."  
  
Waving goodbye as they left James teased Sebastian about Roe's sleeping habits.  
  
"Whenever you get around me you seem either mad, upset, or sleepy. Didn't know I had that affect on women." James declared as Sebastian watched Roe stifle another yawn.  
  
"You must exhaust her with your very presence, James."  
  
Roe caught that and glared at Sebastian.  
  
"He does not."  
  
Both laughed at her tone and entered the Great Hall sitting at the Gryffindor table. Wedged between her two taller friends, Roe found it hard to stay awake as her eye lids drooped and she felt herself lean and peaceful sleep set in.  
  
~  
  
Sebastian felt Roe give into her exhaustion. Her body always seeming to seek James's warmth as she leaned against his friend, who unconsciously put a hand around her waist so she didn't shift wrong and fall backwards. Sebastian smiled at the two of them, a great couple if either one of them ever got past that whole brother-sister feeling. He knew that Roe had a crush on James, like Sebastian had a crush on Roe but James didn't feel that way about Roe, or at least didn't admit he did. Sebastian long ago gave up that Roe would love him as anything but a friend. So if he wasn't meant to be with her he couldn't think of a better person for her to be with than James.  
  
Knowing that if someone other than Gryffindors saw Roe sleeping she'd be in trouble so both of them blocked all authority from sighting their friend. Sebastian knew the moment Dumbledore spoke that Roe was missing an important meeting but didn't have the heart to wake her.  
  
"As this is unusual for us to do let's just make sure that you know that you will not be missing any class time today as your classes will just be later in the day," Dumbledore announced to meet many a students' groans, "as it were I have good news. We have found a new Defense Against Dark Arts teacher, who I think you all know about or have met and that is our very own Harry Potter."  
  
His announcement was met with cheers that didn't wake up the sleeping girl who seemed dead to the world, as Sebastian and James's shock set in about having James's dad as an acting Professor. Just as Sebastian had seen Harry earlier that summer with the same look as James, only his friend didn't have glasses or the famous scar.  
  
"As well as a visiting guest, Ronald Weasley, one of our Ministry of Magic Aurors."  
  
More cheers for a lot of people knew or had parents that knew Ron. Sebastian's shock got wider.  
  
"And for the news about Beauxbaton, the school we will be having the dance with is allowing four of their top students to act as exchange students for the remainder of the time we have left until our Yule Ball. One of them will be staying in each of our Houses until that time. Please welcome them when they arrive tomorrow morning."  
  
"As our Professor Potter has arrived two months into the school year he will need a few days to prepare a lesson plan and so Defense Against Dark Arts is postponed until then. You are dismissed."  
  
Everyone was chatting away as the place cleared out, James bodily picked up Roe from her seat and that got a lot of girls attentions as they sighed or sniped for lucky Roe was to have James. James ignored all those girls as Sebastian, Lily, Winnie and the other three Weasley children followed them to see Ron and Harry.  
  
James got to the High Table as Dumbledore saw the cradled sleeping Roe in James's arms and smiled.  
  
"Sorry, Professor, I know Roe wasn't trying to be rude but she couldn't stay awake any longer."  
  
"I am sure that Miss Granger has enough on her mind that she has yet to get some peaceful sleep," Dumbledore prompted, "but I can not have you carrying her to all her classes, Mr. Potter, so I would suggest you let Professor Snape take her to her dormitory and get to class after you have visited with your father."  
  
James nodded, as Dumbledore was more like family to him that the Headmaster. Severus appeared and gently took Roe, who shifted in her sleep and had a small scowl on her face at loosing James's touch.  
  
"It would seem that Miss Granger has a particular like for your presence, Mr. Potter."  
  
James grinned but knew it was because Roe and he had fallen asleep many times in many different places over the years that they were extremely comfortable in each other's company. James caught sight of his father and Ron glancing at Roe.  
  
"Sleep well, poppet." Harry whispered before placing a silver chain with something attached in her hand, much to Snape's disgruntled expression. Ron whispered goodnight to her as well before they turned to their kids, nephews and nieces.  
  
"Why didn't you tell us?" Sebastian requested.  
  
"We couldn't have our presence known until we got everything cleared with the Ministry and Dumbledore." Harry revealed.  
  
Lily grinned at her dad, who picked her up and hugged her before putting her down.  
  
"How do you like Hogwarts, Lily?" Harry asked.  
  
"It's great! I want to be a Seeker just like you and Roe, though without falling off my broom."  
  
Harry nodded, exchanging a look with his son.  
  
"Dad, why are you here? I understand why Uncle Harry is but Dumbledore said you were just visiting?" Winnie inquired.  
  
"That's right, Winnie. I have some things I need to work on with Dumbledore so I'll be here for the next week, if that's alright?"  
  
"Sure, you can watch Gryffindors next match." Garrett, whose father was George Weasley, stated.  
  
"Hey, Uncle Ron, is everything alright? It's unusual for people to come to Hogwarts like this." Priscilla asked.  
  
"It is but nothing you guys need to worry about. Just ignore us like you would do any other time." Harry joked.  
  
"Minus when you are teaching." Nereida corrected.  
  
"Right. Now why don't you guys get to class before your teachers think we are causing problems already."  
  
"Like you did in school?" James teased.  
  
"We did no such thing," Ron protested, "we were angels."  
  
That caused all of the eight kids to laugh and get out of the Hall.  
  
"Well, at least to my mother you were." Ron admitted.  
  
"Always knew that woman was perfect." Harry claimed.  
  
Ron grinned, as he saw Snape returning.  
  
"Hard to believe our Roe is his daughter, thank Merlin she took after Hermione."  
  
Harry hid his smile as an older Snape came up to them, the Hall empty but for the three of them.  
  
"That necklace is protective amulet." Snape stated.  
  
"Hermione sent it, she also made one for Trey." Harry offered, taking out the matching masculine one.  
  
Snape took it and placed it in a pocket inside his robes.  
  
"Why exactly are you here, Potter?" Snape wondered, his eyes calculating and glanced at Ron.  
  
"We are here to watch out for Roe and to find out who's after her." Ron told him.  
  
"We all know who's after her," Snape snapped, "if you had done what you children thought you had she wouldn't be in danger."  
  
Harry put a hand on Ron's hotheaded shoulder.  
  
"He couldn't have known he would be reborn."  
  
"Well, he is and he's almost killed her once. I won't have either of you endangering her or my son. Whatever investigation you start leave Roe out of it, you saw her. She can barely stay awake because of nightmares and recovering from her Blood Bond."  
  
"Blood Bond?" Harry asked stunned, "she bonded with someone?"  
  
"Your son must not tell you everything, Potter. She had to get blood or she would have died so she is linked to not only your son, but yours as well," Snape nodded to Ron, "along with Damon Malfoy and my son."  
  
Harry and Ron knew what this meant and cursed.  
  
"Do you have anything else from Hermione?" Snape questioned.  
  
"Some shells for talismans," Ron answered, "and a letter," Ron handed the oily Potions Master the parchment sealed with blue wax with the impression of an owl in it.  
  
Turning the man left as Ron shuttered.  
  
"Still gives me the creeps, hard to believe Hermione actually.."  
  
Harry put up his hand to stop Ron's thought.  
  
"Don't say it out loud, I rather not think about it."  
  
"Agreed. So when do we talk to Malfoy's boy?"  
  
"As soon as possible. He has endangered himself and the others now."  
  
"Figures. He is a Malfoy after all."  
  
Harry refused to argue that point. Draco and Ron would never see eye to eye, too much was between them. That Draco's son, Damon, was so like and yet unlike Draco was what made the boy a great Auror, even at his age but in watching Roe he had screwed up and it was up to them to fix that.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Hey, look what I did.another chapter..more to come.  
  
January 2, 2002 


	5. Arrival of Beauxbatons

AN: As always thanks for the wonderful reviews.  
  
Mark Of The Snake  
  
Chapter 5: Arrival of Beauxbatons  
  
Written by: V Lynne  
  
echoinghearts@yahoo.com  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
The bell chimed that it was time to get up that Roe sat up with an ache in her head, she tossed the covers to the end of her bed and put her bare feet on the rugged flooring. Feeling several eyes on her she spotted Wynter, Velvet and Topaz already out of bed and heading towards hers.  
  
"Is it true?" Topaz said in wonder.  
  
"Is what true?" Roe, stood only to fall back on the bed due to her equilibrium being off, so she balanced with the help of her headboard. Going to the end of her maroon sheeted bed, she opened her chest and took out clean robes only then noticing she wasn't in her pajamas, "how'd I get here? I remember the Great Hall and then."  
  
"You completely knocked out, took a kip right there in the middle of an assembly which you should have seen it was amazing." Velvet added.  
  
"Okay, so how'd I get here? Don't tell me James carried me again?"  
  
"Oh, he did," Wynter assured with a mischievous smile, "but only when the meeting was over and then handed you off to Snape," Wynter shivered, "which means he was in here."  
  
"Creepy." Topaz agreed, "so is it true about you and James? The whole damsel in distress and white knight?"  
  
Roe rubbed sleep out of her eyes as she wondered what the three were doing so awake this morning.  
  
"What? He carried me cause I was sleeping, it wasn't like I was enjoying it or anything."  
  
The three exchanged conspiring glances while Roe set down her chest and sat back on it with her robes in her hands. Realizing that an added piece of jewelry was clenched in them that she hadn't noticed. A silver chain with a thick piece of silver in the form of a lion with the claws clutching a mix of a pearl and opal marble-sized gem, where she had gotten it she had no idea.  
  
"Jewelry? Are you sure you aren't hiding something?" Velvet persisted.  
  
"There is nothing going on between me and James, okay? You guys have too much time on your hands."  
  
"Alright, if you say so, Roe, we believe you but you better be ready for the rest of the female population to consider you public enemy number one."  
  
The three left to the bathroom to get dressed as Roe sighed.  
  
"What is it with people? A guy can't help his friend anymore?"  
  
Right, her brain told her, keep telling yourself that and maybe you'll make yourself believe that you don't want to be more than friends with Jamie and that kiss with Malfoy didn't happen.  
  
"Shut up!" she said out loud to herself.  
  
Going to shower and change, she came out feeling well rested and better than she had in days. Her muscles weren't aching and she hadn't for the first time in years wasn't plagued by some strange dream, this day was already looking up that she didn't see one of the trick steps on the stairs leading back to her dormitory lift and she tripped over it. Flatting herself to the stonewall, it cold to the touch, she kept her balance as she cursed at seeing the laughing poltergeist of Peeves.  
  
"Peeves!"  
  
"Good move, little Prefect. Fun but not fun enough."  
  
"Go bug Slytherins."  
  
"Good idea, be seeing you, little Prefect."  
  
Rolling her eyes, she then groaned as her eyes landed on the well-cut figure of Damon Malfoy walking her way.  
  
"Having a morning tumble, Granger?"  
  
"Break your mirror this morning, what is that the fifth one this month and you just have to come here and make my day?"  
  
"Someone got up on the lonely side of the bed this morning." Malfoy mused.  
  
"Why can't you go jump off a cliff? Get hit by lightning?"  
  
"No such luck, Granger. Wouldn't want to disappoint all those girls on my waiting list, now would I?"  
  
"Waiting list for what? To figure out how obnoxious and full of yourself you are?"  
  
"Wouldn't you love that if that was the case," as he spoke he moved closer so that she adjusted her body to be even closer to the wall, "unfortunately that's not the case. I don't have a problem being wanted, do you?"  
  
She just glared at him, as he smirked and made his way down the hall. Pushing herself away from the wall going into the common room to see James and Sebastian talking.  
  
"Good morning, Roe, have a good sleep?" Sebastian teased good-naturedly.  
  
"I would have if I hadn't been tripped by Peeves when I got up and accosted by Malfoy in the hallway." Roe complained.  
  
"Already? You've been up early then." Garrett said passing by her.  
  
"What is it with the male species today? Do I have a target sign on my forehead that I don't see?"  
  
"No, you are just easy to rile when you just got sleep." James informed her, stepping back as she shot him a glare.  
  
"So, what do we have this morning for class?" Sebastian changed the subject looking entirely too interested in his schedule parchment, "oh, no class till after lunch."  
  
"Why is that?" Roe wanted to know, looking over his shoulder, which was a problem as he was almost an entire foot taller than her.  
  
"Forgot you weren't awake at the meeting," Winnie said, stopping her work on an assignment for Transfiguration she was working the last kinks out of, "Beauxbatons allowing four of their top students to stay here with us until the Yule Ball. They are supposed to arrive this morning."  
  
"And," Nereida came down from the portrait that led from the Head Girl private room to the common room, "all Prefects are to be the first in line to welcome them so I suggest that the three of you get down stairs since Wynter is already down there."  
  
As she walked away, they followed slowly.  
  
"I swear she was adopted, no way is someone that up-tight related to me." Sebastian whispered.  
  
"You forget Uncle Percy." James mentioned.  
  
"Like I could forget. He's the only one out of our uncles I can't be around for more than five minutes without wanting to pull off my ears and just hand them to him so he can continue talking while I really don't listen."  
  
Roe laughed, turning it into a cough as Nereida glanced over her shoulder at them then continued walking with Talbert Taylor, the Ravenclaw Head Boy. Sebastian chuckled when the Hogwarts courtyard came into view and students were already in two divided sides getting ready for the arrivals. Roe saw Nereida flick her finger to indicate that Roe follow her, she shrugged at the boys and followed Nereida to stand next to Wynter. Nereida evened out Roe's badge, as the younger girl snorted at Nereida's perfectionate nature. As the boys were placed next to Roe, as the four houses were divided into left and right with Gryffindor and Ravenclaw on the left with Slytherin and Hufflepuff on the right with a large gap in between.  
  
"No one is to speak unless spoken to and we will announce everything," Professor McGonagall instructed.  
  
Out of a cloud lacing the sky came down a carriage pulled by a dozen winged palaminos. Landing gracefully, the carriage stopped and the coachman jumped off and opened the door like this was the eighteenth century or something.  
  
Out stepped a girl that had most boys catching their breaths. Her pale white hair blew in the breeze matched with soft blue eyes that Roe heard the word 'veela' said about the girl's beauty. Next was a boy who also was blond, although his was the color of golden sunlight and had startling dark green eyes that seemed almost black. After him was another male with longish black hair that gave him a roguish appearance and kind brown eyes with a girl behind him whose hair was dark red of almost the color of living flame and observing brown eyes. Never had Roe heard the students so quiet or felt her breath halt in her lungs. They were all-stunning and wore thick dark blue silk robes of Beauxbatons.  
  
"May I introduce Marielle Bourges, Etienne Montigny, Theophile Guimond and Yvonne Verlaine, our resident guests from Beauxbatons." Dumbledore proclaimed and all was heard the heavy pounding of hands together in clapping. Out of the clapping came appreciative whistle calls from more of the regained sensed males that had Professor McGonagall searching the crowd to give instant detention for.  
  
As Dumbledore, his aura always peaceful and reassuring, moved them through the crowd he brought them up to the Head Girl and Boy.  
  
"Nereida Weasley and Talbert Taylor are our Head Girl and Boy at Hogwarts, both will be around if you should need anything and these are a few of our Prefects," Dumbledore presented, "Wynter Jordan, Kurt Munoz, Alisha Keller, Sebastian Weasley, Ambrosia Granger, James Potter."  
  
"Potter?" Marielle repeated, "of the famous Harry Potter?"  
  
"Yes." James replied, "He's my father."  
  
"Your father? I am very pleased to meet you, Jhames." Marielle greeted James, softening his name in the French way.  
  
"As you will be able to meet Harry Potter," Professor Sprout joined in, "as he is now our Defense Against Dark Arts teacher."  
  
"Really?" Etienne asked, his voice almost amused at the whole situation.  
  
Roe elbowed Sebastian, who leaned over.  
  
"What does she mean he is our DADA teacher?"  
  
"Well if somebody would stay awake for important meetings instead of sleeping you would know that wouldn't you?" Nereida snapped.  
  
"Lay off, Nereida." Sebastian retorted.  
  
"He and Ron got here yesterday," James filled in, "Dad is the new DADA teacher and Ron's going to be visiting for the next week."  
  
"Okay, I am official taking caffeine pills to stay awake," Roe declared, just waving off her comment at the confused looks she got from everyone that heard who hadn't been raised around Muggles.  
  
The crowd was breaking up and Roe felt her shoulder tapped on and looked only to have no one there and beside her stepped Trey.  
  
"Old trick, Slytherin."  
  
"Still words caused you looked."  
  
Walking through the halls full of commotion about the new visitors, Roe saw Trey's eyes linger on the retreating figure of Winnie. A matchmaking spark lit in her eyes.  
  
"So, Trey, are you going to the Yule Ball?" Roe asked loud enough that as they passed Winnie, standing outside Transfiguration could hear breaking off her conversation with Carnation.  
  
"I haven't really thought about it and why are you talking so loud? I'm not deaf."  
  
"Sorry," Roe lowered her tone, "why not?"  
  
"Dances are girl related issues that take up their entire existence while guys happen to have other things on their minds besides getting dressed up to try not to step on their partners toes and spiking the punch."  
  
"Thought it was all you lived for," Roe teased, nudging his side, "so how about if some girl asked you," Roe stopped walking so they were still in hearing distance of Winnie, "what would you say?"  
  
"Depends on who it is."  
  
"Let's say it was Ebony Montague."  
  
"Not on this side of hell."  
  
Roe laughed, at his absolute serious expression.  
  
"How about if this said girl was in Gryffindor and not in our year, would you consider it?"  
  
Trey narrowed his eyes suspicious of this line of questioning.  
  
"What are you getting at, Roe?"  
  
"Just answer the question and stop avoiding the issue."  
  
"Sure, I'd consider it."  
  
Roe saw Winnie's face turn pink in excitement before she disappeared into the Transfiguration class. Trey followed her line of vision but saw no one so when her face took on that innocent expression she had down pat he raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Had someone in mind?"  
  
"Maybe. Just be nice okay?"  
  
Trey gave an exaggerated sigh of defeat that had her playfully putting her hands on his shoulders and kissed his cheek.  
  
"Thanks, big brother."  
  
"The things I let you get away with."  
  
"You love me." Roe confidently replied, walking away as he headed towards Charms.  
  
"Sometimes I wonder."  
  
Roe shut off her ears to his last statement and headed to the dungeon where her odd father insisted for years to have his class held in.  
  
~  
  
After Potions, which went well considering that Snape was no longer the DADA teacher and he hadn't taken more than twenty points away from Gryffindor, Roe was contemplating why her godfathers, Harry and Ron, were really here. Since Harry was taking two days to get his lesson plan together she had opened period, leaning on an large arched gap that was found along the corridor that over looked the courtyard she caught sight of Winnie and Trey. A huge grin spread over her features as she leaned more over to see when she felt an arm around her waist pull her back and she turned in the arms of Damon Malfoy.  
  
"For a girl that just got over one near-death experience you sure seem to have a death wish."  
  
Her realization of just how close their bodies were, that her chest was pressed against his muscled on and that she was having trouble breathing made her remember just what happened last time they were this close and she pushed at his shoulders to get him to let her go. He backed off and put his hands in his pockets of his pants he wore under his robe, with a charming you-know-you-want-me look on his face she itched to slap off.  
  
"I was just watching progress, not trying to kill myself you lunatic."  
  
"Progress? If you had leaned any further out you would be at the bottom of the courtyard with your blood sprayed all over the wall and whatever progress you saw would have ended."  
  
"Who asked for your help?" Roe asked.  
  
"Fine, next time I'll let you commit suicide." Malfoy stated, "Like I care."  
  
He walked away and she turned with a huff, seeing the scene she was watching gone.  
  
"Damn Malfoy."  
  
"A little early in the day to be damning people but since it is a Malfoy.." Ron Weasley's voice came and she grinned spinning around to hug one of her favorite people.  
  
"Ron!"  
  
"Good to see that when you do see me you don't instantly fall asleep."  
  
"Does everyone I know have to bring that up? I swear I am going to punch the next person that says something about my sleeping habits." Roe vowed, as he chuckled.  
  
"You let them have it, kiddo."  
  
"I haven't see Harry but everyone assures me that he lives."  
  
Ron nodded.  
  
"Come on, I'll take you to him. We didn't want to disturb you last night and since this morning was spoken for we thought we'd wait."  
  
Walking down the chilly hallway, the setting in of winter a reality, Ron took her into one of the glass ceiling rooms that was shining sunlight into every corner of it. Objects and books on the Dark Arts were everywhere but with the cheery atmosphere it was a complete three sixty from how her father had taught DADA.  
  
"This used to be the room that Sprout taught in until she moved to the greenhouses and it's been vacant for quite a while even before we went to school here." Ron told her.  
  
"Who are you talking to.." Harry walked into the room from a connecting room to see Roe, who saw he hadn't changed since the summer two years ago when she had last seen him, "hello, poppet."  
  
He wrapped her in a hug and pulled back to see the beautiful girl who was his goddaughter.  
  
"It's so good to see you, why didn't you tell me? I could have.."  
  
Harry put a finger to her babbling lips.  
  
"You ask the same questions I am sure your cohorts in crime will be more than happy to fill you in on," Harry said and out came James and Sebastian with books in their hands from the connecting reference room arguing about the upcoming Quidditch match with Ravenclaw.  
  
"How come neither of you told me this is where you were disappearing to?" Roe demanded to have them shrug at her.  
  
"Sorry, Roe, but we kinda forgot." Sebastian claimed.  
  
"Sure, like I'm not sitting in between you two knuckleheads all last class and you didn't think to tell me. Some friends you are."  
  
James set the book he had in his hand on his father's desk a pleading look in his eye.  
  
"Don't be mad, Roe," James cajoled, "we didn't mean to."  
  
"Like you didn't mean to stare at that new Beauxbatons girl like a salivating dog?"  
  
Ron and Harry winced at that description.  
  
"May I stick up for us by saying we weren't the only males there?" Sebastian wondered.  
  
"No, you may not. It amazes me that normal males with more than enough intelligence can become a member of the canine species just by having a pretty girl enter the picture. It's a scientific mystery."  
  
"Before you come to blows," Harry cut in, "can I just state that if this girl is as distracting as you say that she probably has a good reason for it."  
  
"She's a veela," James decided.  
  
"With that hair and those curves," Sebastian ended with a yelp as Roe hit him square in the shoulder with a book.  
  
"Paid attention did you? Too bad neither one of you gives that much attention to Potions."  
  
"If Snape all of a sudden became a veela." Sebastian offered, making everyone burst into laughter, "I am sure I would pay attention."  
  
"To the lesson or to him?"  
  
"Does it matter?"  
  
Roe swung at him again with the 'Standard Book of Spells' fourth year book but he ducked and she growled at him.  
  
"Very attractive, Roe. Sure you don't have part cat in you?"  
  
"Enough, children," Ron interrupted the playful banter, "as much fun as this is to watch my only son be beaten up by a girl," Sebastian glared at his father's amusement, "I think that maybe you three should continue to your next class as the bell has rung."  
  
"Will Lavender hate me dreadfully if I murder your only son?" Roe considered, as Sebastian grinned widely at her while James pushed his friend out.  
  
"Knowing her she'll thank you for allowing us to have food in the house when he does come home on breaks."  
  
"That's all I needed to know. Bye."  
  
As she left with a malicious look in her eye Harry was shaking his head at his friend.  
  
"You do realize you gave her free license to murder your son, right?"  
  
"It'll do him good, Hermione threatened to kill me more than once and yet I am still here."  
  
"True, but Hermione had more interest in what she could use you for if she did manage to kill you and found none while Roe doesn't want to do anything with his murdered corpse but kill him."  
  
"Good point, I'll talk to her at dinner."  
  
Ron helped put the reference books out while Harry contemplated.  
  
"Have you seen Damon yet?"  
  
"Saw him with Roe actually," Ron admitted getting Harry's attention, "he seemed very friendly with her physically." The last part had a biting edge to it that Harry couldn't help but notice.  
  
"As in how friendly?"  
  
"Let's just say he takes a little free license on where he can put his hands on her body."  
  
"Did she object?"  
  
"It took her a minute to realize who had their hands on her to react."  
  
"And did she move out of his arms right away?"  
  
Ron looked uncomfortable with the subject, "No, alright."  
  
"He did save her and has protected her since then," Harry allowed, "but you still don't trust him."  
  
"He's a Malfoy. I can't say I like him, Harry, I don't like his father but I don't exactly hate him anymore either. Besides I always thought of her with James if you need to know."  
  
"So has Ginny but unfortunately we can't choose who our children fall for can we?"  
  
"Hermione doesn't have any more love for the Malfoy line then I do. She won't be happy to have her only daughter with the heir to the Malfoy legacy. She might like us to step in on her behalf."  
  
"Don't you think you are jumping to conclusions a little early? We don't even know if anything is going on between Damon and Roe."  
  
"Then I suggest we talk to the bugger before he starts doing more than just holding her."  
  
~  
  
When classes ended for the day, Roe took her journal and went to find somewhere quiet to write for a while. Her journal was a holder of her lyrics for songs she came up with, a hobby of hers. Finding a tree near the outskirts of the courtyard she began to write tuning out the world until dinner.  
  
A sound came into her void of words and she saw a small dagger lying at the base of her feet. Leaning over her bent knees she picked up the dagger, a relic of the eighteenth century that she saw arms waving in the air that got her attention belonging to one of the two male Beauxbatons students. Walking over with the dagger in hand she noticed that a small group of females were avidly watching at what looked like a sparring match with rapiers and daggers, no magic. As she handed the dagger back, handle first to the forest-green glaze of Etienne Montigny, she took a step back.  
  
"Thank you, mam'selle." Etienne thanked.  
  
"Your welcome."  
  
She watched intrigued when he returned to using the rapier and dagger in order to defend himself against his opponent, Theophile, both skilled at the dueling with swords rather than with wands.  
  
As Theophile was put to the ground, Etienne's sharp rapier at Theophile's throat the crowd gasped and then laughed in relief when Etienne withdrew his rapier and both boys bowed to one another. The circled area they were fighting in disappeared, as it had been a spell, so that the weapons were gone and Theophile made his way over to the gathered girls.  
  
"You have never seen a duel with weapons, mam'selle?" Etienne questioned, wondering about this attractive girl who seemed to have any male friends yet no boyfriend.  
  
"Only with magic."  
  
"Very different from Hogwarts, is it?" Etienne's voice was smooth, like silk and flowed like a warm breeze that Roe didn't wonder now why the girls were so crowded around like vultures. Roe always did appreciate a guy with an accent, to her it was one of the sexiest things a guy could have especially if it was Australian and she could see that she was going to be just as appreciative of the French accent as well.  
  
"I've only see things like that on T.V."  
  
"Qu' est-ce que c'est..T.V.?"  
  
He was asking what a television was, why did she always assume when she opened her mouth that people knew what she was talking about.  
  
"A Muggle technology."  
  
"Ah, you were not raised here? You sound American."  
  
"My mother and father are both English but I grew up in America, New York."  
  
"You understand French," he wondered, as the dinner bell rang.  
  
"Un peu." Roe admitted she knew a little.  
  
"You seem very contrary, Mademoiselle Granger."  
  
"To most people I am a walking contradiction."  
  
He laughed, a deep-throated husky sound. As he suddenly winced and his hand went to his upper arm she realized the silk white shirt he wore with black leather pants, looking like a pirate, had blood stained on it.  
  
Without thinking she ripped off a piece of her robe at the bottom and wound it around his wound that was a vivid gash in his flawless arm.  
  
"You do not have to do that," Etienne protested but could not move out of her touch.  
  
"Sure I do, can't have our guests bleeding all over the courtyard on there first day here now can I? Besides that will help until we get to Madam Pomfrey, our nurse, and she'll fix it correctly, this will slow the bleeding hopefully."  
  
Roe walked him to the infirmary and explained to Pomfrey what happened, who immediately took action and fixed it with a purple solution.  
  
"You speak English well, Etienne," Roe curiously asked, "I didn't think that anyone from Beauxbatons did."  
  
"Met people from Beauxbatons before?"  
  
"Well, no, but I was under the impression all students there spoke only French."  
  
"For the most part. Our teachers like us to be, how do you say, know about these things."  
  
"To be well rounded?"  
  
"Oui, that is the word."  
  
"So do teachers here but I learned French in my Muggle School not here."  
  
"You went to a Muggle school?"  
  
"Yeah, in America there aren't magic and Muggle schools just Muggle. So that's where I went."  
  
"Contradictions again."  
  
Roe smiled and as Pomfrey declared him fine, using a spell to fix his shirt they set off to the Great Hall where their entrance together caused quite a stir, cutting off Dumbledore's announcement of which student would be where.  
  
"Ah, Mr. Montigny, please come forward and Miss Granger please take a seat."  
  
Etienne gave her a fleeting smile.  
  
"I would like to speak to you again, ma petite."  
  
"Sure."  
  
He nodded and Roe sat down to an amazed table.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Gee, why not just take every guy that enters Hogwarts for yourself, Granger." Came a snide comment from the Ravenclaw table.  
  
"What did I do now besides be nice to the guy?" Roe demanded to know from the group around her.  
  
"Nothing, Roe, they are just being a bunch of jealous witches." Winnie assured her friend.  
  
"As I stated before," Dumbledore said to the assembled student body, "our guests will one out of each will be moved into one of our four houses. This has already been pre-selected; Theophile to Hufflepuff, Marielle to Gryffindor, Etienne to Slytherin and Yvonne to Ravenclaw. Please welcome our guests into our houses and make them feel at home."  
  
With that food appeared on the tables and Roe filled her cup with Pumpkin Juice, sipping on it as she watched out of the corner of her eye Etienne go to the Slytherin table and sit down. Trey caught her eyesight.  
  
^He is saying that he was injured and you helped him to the nurse that's why you two came into the Hall together, go a thing for the new guy, eh, Roe?^ Trey thought and she stuck her tongue out at him.  
  
^Very mature^ Trey thought.  
  
Rolling her eyes she glanced back at her own table and Winnie's own eyes were directed at the Slytherin table as well.  
  
"Why were you with the French guy, Roe?" Velvet inquired, "Not trying your luck out on him are you? You've already got.."  
  
"I wouldn't suggest you finish that sentence, Velvet," Priscilla cut in, "unless you want to look foolish."  
  
Mouthing a 'thank you' to Priscilla, Roe met Winnie's defeated eyes.  
  
"If you don't ask, you'll never know." Roe said.  
  
"But what if he says no?"  
  
"Who saying no to what?" Sebastian asked with a mouth half-full of food.  
  
"Swallow, 'Bastian, then speak." James directed.  
  
"Nothing, 'Bastian, just girl talk."  
  
Winnie sighed, using her fork to draw shapes in her mash potatoes.  
  
"The Yule Ball is a month away and I still have nothing to wear." Topaz complained.  
  
"What a tragedy." Roe sarcastically replied under her breath as Malfoy passed by behind her.  
  
"For you it is, Granger, knowing no one is asking you."  
  
"And who'd ask you, Malfoy? Or are you in the process of paying her off?"  
  
"Don't need to, I attract people to me while you seem only to attract the duds in the crowd."  
  
"Malfoy," Ron's tone broke the conflict arising, "Dumbledore needs to speak to you."  
  
Tossing a superior look at the Gryffindor table he went to the High Table.  
  
"After dinner, I need to talk to you and James, Sebastian," Ron informed his son and nephew, "oh and Roe, my permission earlier to kill my son is on terms that you have to do it before he comes home for winter break. Carry on."  
  
Roe grinned at Sebastian's lost look.  
  
"Oh, it's not that bad, 'Bastian."  
  
"Not that bad? My own father gives you permission to end my life and you are telling me it's not that bad?"  
  
"Could be worse, he could have give Malfoy his permission."  
  
"Like Malfoy can do anything to me," Sebastian snorted at the up surd notion.  
  
As Sebastian bit into his leg of chicken his face broke out in a series of frog shaped green warts. Roe contained her laughter until she realized whoever took a bite of whatever they were eating the same thing was happening. Thankfully James and Winnie had seen Sebastian and both dropped their forks, while the screams of Velvet and Topaz echoed across the hall where Malfoy, now back at his table, had a smug smirk on his face.  
  
"Don't touch anything," Professor McGonagall yelled at the table, "everyone put down their food and anyone infected follow me."  
  
Sebastian's look of murder at the Slytherin table was met with laughter. Half the Gryffindors were all green frog warted and now the girl, Marielle was sitting right on the other side of James. Her intent to get his attention successful the second James realized who had taken Sebastian's place and so for the rest of dinner, which was replaced by the House Elves, Roe switched between glancing at the Slytherin table and glaring at the girl who was using her looks to advantage.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Another chapter.I'm on a roll.probably will be another week until I get a chance to write again.  
  
January 3, 2002 


	6. Trouble With Emotions

AN: Thanks to all the reviews!! I am so glad so many people like this story!  
  
Mark Of The Snake  
  
Chapter 6: Trouble With Emotions  
  
Written by: V Lynne  
  
echoinghearts@yahoo.com  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Sebastian was cursing under his breath again, Roe noticed, as she walked into the DADA classroom that unfortunately was the other class period they shared with the Slytherins. The red head's curse was directed at the table that held the unmistakable body of Malfoy, though Sebastian's curse was more in the form of words not to be repeated in front of younger years rather than a actual curse spell. Pulling out the chair to sit next to him, his eyes focused elsewhere she saw the Etienne was in their class sitting next to Trey in the second row that she smiled over at him.  
  
"Keep cursing at him, 'Bastian, and your face is going to turn into that scowl that we won't know the difference between you and Snape." James commented, sitting on the other side of Sebastian.  
  
Snapping out of it, Sebastian gave a shrug.  
  
"I swear I am going to pay him back for that green wart spell."  
  
"It's been two days, 'Bastian, give it a rest. You are fine, the rest of the Gryffindors are fine and we have a Quidditch game tomorrow. Put your mind on more important matters."  
  
Sebastian raised both eyebrows at Roe's mature tone and James looked just as surprised by how Roe was acting. Following her eyes to the Slytherin table, as Gryffindor sat on one side of the class and Slytherin on the other, Sebastian let a smile appear on his face at just who had Roe's undivided attention.  
  
"So, Roe, tell me what did we do last class?" Sebastian wondered, having James see just what he was getting at as Roe sat down and took out her parchments.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
Sebastian's grin widened at her absent-minded answer.  
  
"What color are Etienne's eyes?"  
  
Catching on to what Sebastian was getting at James saw Roe reply without a single real acknowledgement of what she was answering.  
  
"Green, sometimes with gold flecks in them," Roe dutifully replied then cleared her head and stared at Sebastian, "what?"  
  
He was chuckling at her as James had a laughing grin on his mouth.  
  
"Someone got a crush?"  
  
The question came from in front of them by Ian McDonald, who had Wynter sitting next to him.  
  
"I do not have a crush. I do not get crushes."  
  
Wynter nodded, not believing it for a minute.  
  
"Right," Sebastian said.  
  
"Oh, pay attention to Harry, 'Bastian."  
  
As Harry, or Professor Potter as they called him in class, opened the discussion on the right and wrong curses that could be used to command a person to do another's bidding Roe pulled her attention back to the lecture and ignored the feeling that she just might have a crush on the Beauxbatons student. But how can that be, Roe wondered biting her lower lip in concentration, I like James, don't I? But, her mind reasoned, you have been spending the last couple of days with the Frenchie and he is all that and a bag of chips, as what one of her friends from America would say. Though James was no slough in the looks department and how embarrassing that Sebastian and James had caught her staring at Etienne. A faint blush appeared on her cheeks and she heard her name being called that broke her thought pattern.  
  
"Miss Granger? Could you please tell us what spell is used to protect you from dementors?"  
  
Roe pulled together her mind and said the correct answer.  
  
"Expecto Patronum."  
  
"Correct," Harry's attention went back to the rest of the class and Roe sighed.  
  
"Did he interrupt some deep thought, Roe?" James teased quietly.  
  
"Funny, Jamie."  
  
The class was to be put into pairs to go over the correct spells for warding off unwanted magical creatures that Harry had to direct that it had to be mixed house groups. He knew that they hated that, as he had in school, but Dumbledore was still stuck on trying to get peace between the houses especially Slytherin and Gryffindor.  
  
"Alright, I want Mr. Weasley and Miss Montague, Mr. Malfoy and Miss Granger, Mr. Montigny and Mr. Potter, ….."  
  
Groaning that she would have words with her godfather after class with putting her with Malfoy, she gathered her things, as he made not a single move to come over to where she sat and headed to the vacant seat left by Ebony. Opening her parchments on the different spells to use, she saw that Malfoy was leaning back in his chair with a lazy smirk on his face. In front of Roe were James and Etienne that she wondered why she couldn't have been paired with Etienne or even Ebony was better than putting up with arrogant Malfoy.  
  
"Are you going to work?" Roe demanded, as he leaned forward in his chair, righting his position from having the chair on two of the four legs before.  
  
"Thought that was your department, Granger."  
  
"It's a group effort or do you have wax in your ears?"  
  
Standing, Malfoy was a head taller than she was, and she just ignored him until he leaned over her and snatched her parchment from the light resting in her hand.  
  
"Hey!" Roe protested as he examined the spells she had wrote down and at her verbal outburst it, both James and Etienne turned around.  
  
"What are you looking at, Potter?" Malfoy sneered.  
  
"Nothing." James replied, sending a searching look at Roe.  
  
"I'm fine, Jamie." Roe told him and then pulled the parchment out of Malfoy's hands.  
  
"How are we to work when you are so possessive?" Malfoy casually asked, seeing her fold her arms as she sat back down and went over her notes.  
  
"Well since obviously you were too busy doing who knows what with Ebony over here and didn't take notes I don't see why I need to share mine other than to let Professor Potter think you know what you are doing."  
  
"You wound me, Granger, really, straight to the heart." Malfoy leaned his back against the table to observe her.  
  
"You have one of those? Will wonders never cease?"  
  
Malfoy put a hand on the table and brought his body forward so that she had to sit back in her chair to avoid him touching her head with his chest.  
  
"You and Montigny seem to be getting along rather well," Malfoy taunted, "given up on Potter?"  
  
"Have nothing better to do than to wonder about my life?"  
  
"You are a constant source of amusement for me, Granger, you and that pathetic band of friends you have that think you are so much better than everyone else."  
  
"We do?" Roe was now angered at his insulting tone and stood so that with him bending the way he was she was taller, "if that isn't the pot calling the kettle black. Look in the mirror when you insinuate something you are more guilty of than anyone else in this school."  
  
"Not me, Granger, I don't pretend to be something I'm not."  
  
"Oh and you are saying that I do."  
  
"What's that charming saying you used the other day, 'If the shoe fits'."  
  
"Why you….."  
  
Roe made to use her wand against him but he instantly put his hand over hers, locking it to the table top and stopping any further incident that might draw people's curious stares their way.  
  
"Careful, Granger, you don't want people to think you can't take a little criticism what ever would Dumbledore say when he goes over who to make Head Girl next year? A volatile girl isn't exactly Head Girl material."  
  
"To bad your mother didn't drown you at birth, Malfoy, then I wouldn't have to put up with you."  
  
"But then your life here wouldn't be nearly as interesting. Or that we'd meet at the most interesting times, now would we?" Malfoy lowered his tone and put his mouth near his ear but to the rest of the class it looked like they were really in a deep debate over the spells, "still think about that kiss, Granger?"  
  
Swallowing, her throat suddenly dry, she removed her hand from under his and glared at him.  
  
"I've had better, Malfoy."  
  
For the rest of class they went over their parchments until the bell chimed and Roe made a direct exit out of class. Not letting him get to her, she swore she wouldn't let that slimy git do that to her, not again she felt a hand go on her shoulder and swung, to have Etienne duck at her hand full of books.  
  
"Ohmigod, Etienne, I am so sorry, I didn't…."  
  
"I will try to remember, ma petite, not to walk up on you when you are done speaking to Damon."  
  
"Good idea," Roe mused, before casting him an apologetic glance, "I really am sorry."  
  
"He riles you up, does he not?"  
  
Roe shrugged and they walked down the hall, passing staring third and fourth years.  
  
"I guess. You could say that Malfoy and I have a hate relationship, we both hate each other."  
  
Etienne seemed confused at this as they turned towards the empty corridor of the Charms wing.  
  
"It does not seem that either of you hate each other."  
  
"What?" Roe choked, "of course I hate him."  
  
"Why do you hate him? Out of the past days I have come to know you I have not heard you say why you and he do not get along other than his being a Malfoy and you are a Granger. His rivalry with James and Sebastian, I understand, but not with you."  
  
"What's to understand? Malfoy is just a thorn in an otherwise perfect rose bush in my life. He makes me so mad with his little comments and condescending manner about who I am and about Jamie and 'Bastian that I can't help but detest him."  
  
"That is all well and good but why? Has he ever given you a real reason other than calling you that word, 'Mudblood' I think it is, to really earn your hatred? Hurt you physically or caused pain to the people you seem to care so much about? I find it hard to understand just why you do not get along with Damon, even Trey seems to like him somewhat."  
  
"Trey? No, Trey hangs around Damon because of Snape. Trey does not like Damon, he's too smart for that."  
  
"And again I ask why? Do you know exactly why you do not like Damon? Other than his manner, which I must say confuses me, as he only seems to act like a 'slimy git' around only you. He barely tolerates his other Slytherins as I understand cause the group of them are lucky to have enough intelligence to make up one brain, but it does not give me an honest clue as to why you do not like him, ma petite. From what I see I think you both have feelings that neither one of you is willing to express."  
  
"Feelings? For Malfoy? Has he brainwashed you? I do not, nor have I ever, had feelings for the Dragon's Offspring. I never will."  
  
"A very venom response, ma petite souris, for such a person you do not have feelings for."  
  
Disgruntled at what he was insinuating, Roe followed him without another word as he brought up a good point that she didn't want to think about. She didn't like Malfoy, she never had. Malfoy and Granger were not meant to be friends and she was going to keep it that way.  
  
~  
  
Damon watched Roe leave with Etienne following her; he grew a smug smile on his face as he wondered if Roe, who seemed to fancy Etienne, had any clue that Etienne wasn't really into the opposite sex. Just the thought of when she found out was causing him to break into laughter in his head, at least on that front he didn't have any threat from the Beauxbatons boy but still, Damon shot a glance to the disappearing through the doors Potter and Weasley, he had to see just what her feelings for Potter were.  
  
Admitting to himself that maybe he had feelings for the infuriating brunette he also let himself think to what that would do to the whole school if it got out that he, the Slytherin God, had feelings for the outgoing Granger. What a laugh people would get at that. His own father would probably shake his head at the whole thing but otherwise suggest that his hormones were acting up and he was over-analyzing the whole situation. It didn't help that right after he got that powder from Snape's cabinet to blow on the Gryffindor table, that had the instantaneous effect of the green frog-shaped warts, he had to have a private talk with the elder Potter, Weasley and Dumbledore about his conduct then another one from Snape.  
  
Yes, he knew that he was supposed to protect her. Yes, he knew that by linking himself with her that at anytime she could read his thoughts and find out more than she was supposed to. Yes, he was to stay the hell away from her other than to keep a distance to keep an eye on her. No, he didn't want anything to do with her otherwise. No, he was not seeking to get any reward for this.  
  
He was tired of answering their questions about her. How was he supposed to not think about her when at every turn she was brought up in a conversation or he saw her? Alright, so maybe he was attracted to her cause Merlin knew that kissing her had been a very, very very bad idea but hey what was a guy to do when he had right in front of him that one that completely forbidden to him. He was only human and temptation had been a little too great. Not that it was a bad kiss, it was in fact a great kiss. Who knew that the bookworm was so good at snogging and then a jealous thought entered his head without him meaning to let it and that was just who had taught her to kiss that well. Crazy thoughts for sure but he couldn't stop thinking about her. Out of all the girls that vied for his attention, made him feel like he was the center of the universe the one that he wanted to act that way was the one that thought he was the scum of the earth. Not a good ego buster to be sure. The forced one on one time between them by teachers and then in meeting without her Wonder Boy and Weasel only made things that much more complicated when they did have to appear calm, cool and collected around people. Especially people in their own houses. Pretending to be unaffected by her comments was harder and not going off on her right then and there was just as tough. It didn't help that her brother was the one he only talked to truthfully to and bringing up Roe around Trey was not a good idea. Trey hit a nerve when they had talked after the Dueling Without Wands first day about just what he felt for that pixie prefect but he would never admit, even now he didn't allow him to name what he felt for her. Lust, sure. Attraction, absolutely. Anything else was off limits.  
  
Passing by a group of third years as now he was in the courtyard for some much needed fresh air, the book they carried 'Intermediate Transfiguration' telling him their year, he caught the words that drove anger straight to his heart.  
  
"Have you seen that Gryffindor Prefect?"  
  
"The one that James Potter is friends with?"  
  
"Yeah, I heard one of the Ravenclaw Prefect's say that she and Potter were going to the Yule Ball together and that she is spending winter break at his house."  
  
"Wow! Then what is she going with the Beauxbatons guy?"  
  
"Who knows? Probably being all nice and stuff, you know how girls are."  
  
"Hey!" came the protest of the two girls in the group.  
  
"Sorry, but I heard from one of the ghosts that he caught her kissing a guy right near the library a couple nights ago."  
  
"Potter?"  
  
"Probably. I mean who else does she hang around?"  
  
"She hangs around Sebastian, too."  
  
"Nah, he likes her like a sister. James is much more her type I think."  
  
"They do look good together and did you see him picking her up and taking her to the infirmary when she got hurt? It was so romantic."  
  
Groans came from the guys at the female response.  
  
"And I heard she fell asleep in the library that night that she was seen kissing and he carried her to her dorm."  
  
Damon felt his fists clench.  
  
"She's so lucky! I mean he's one of the best looking guys in school and the nicest."  
  
"Not as good looking as Malfoy."  
  
"True, but doesn't she hate him?"  
  
"Yeah. Man, I've never seen people fight like those two trade insults. My mom and dad said that they used to fight like that in school. Cats and dogs."  
  
"But your parents got married and there is no way that Roe would ever date or marry Malfoy. Besides he's a Malfoy, they don't exactly go for Muggle borns to they?"  
  
"No." the group agreed and Damon let them go into their class.  
  
Standing there he leaned against the wall for a minute, closing his eyes.  
  
"That is exactly why I can't have feelings for Granger." He said softly and then out of the corner of his eye he caught sight of a small journal, like the ones he had seen many times in Muggle stores, and picked it up. Inscribed on the inside was 'Ambrosia Granger' that he almost dropped the velvet blue covered book.  
  
Was fate trying to tell him something?  
  
~  
  
The Gryffindor 6th year dormitory was a disaster. Clothes thrown every which way and in the middle of the heap was Roe, brushing back a hair with impatience. Topaz and Velvet exchanged a look that said maybe Roe had finally lost it.  
  
"I lost it." Roe stated.  
  
"I'd say."  
  
"No, I mean I lost something and I can't find it."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"My journal," Roe saw their lost looks, "it's a small blue book that you write in. I could have sworn I had it……" Roe slammed her fist on the her bed, "it's in the courtyard. I dropped it when I handed Etienne back the dagger. Damn."  
  
"It's probably still there. Why don't you go get it?"  
  
"Because," Roe stated standing up and brushing off her knees, "I have a appointment with Professor McGonagall in less than twenty minutes to work on the dueling and then I have practice for Quidditch."  
  
"We'll go down and look for it for you, Roe," Topaz offered taking out a bottle of nail polish from the mahogany chest at the end of her bed.  
  
"Really? Thanks, guys."  
  
"Sure." Velvet joined in, "why not? It's not like we have class."  
  
"Great."  
  
"Where did you leave it?"  
  
"By the tree," Roe recalled, "two days ago, I hope it's still there."  
  
"No one is ever in the courtyard and it hasn't rained so it more than likely is still there."  
  
"Okay, and thanks," Roe grabbed her broom and Quidditch robes before leaving.  
  
"Think she wrote anything juicy in the book?" Topaz wondered.  
  
"Let's find out."  
  
The two girls' boredom forgotten as well as their planned manicures.  
  
~  
  
As Roe finished her Quidditch practice she landed safely on the ground, her feet stopping her reeling forward movement until she felt a hand catch the end of her broom and she was thrown a little forward on it.  
  
"What the…" Roe called then saw that Malfoy was holding the end of the broom.  
  
"Do you mind?" Roe growled at him.  
  
"As a matter of fact I don't," Malfoy searched the sky for Potter or other Quidditch members but found no one, "everyone left you?"  
  
"Dinner time. Not even I have that kind of power to stop boys and their stomachs."  
  
Malfoy chuckled at her wit before she glanced surprised at him. Standing upright, holding her broom in her hand she took in that he was still not doing anything but standing there.  
  
"Did you want something?"  
  
"If ever there was a loaded question that would be it," Malfoy decided, then added, "actually I came to return something of yours."  
  
"And what could you possibly have that's mine?"  
  
Casually walking to the side of her, as if they were friends, he produced her journal out of his robe.  
  
"Maybe this?" he held it up but out of her reach.  
  
"That's mine!"  
  
"So it would seem. Plus the added information of your name inside of it but tell me, Granger," Malfoy pursued, "what's the poetry for? Must say some of it is actually descent in a warped mind sort of way."  
  
"Gee, thanks for the compliment," Roe grabbed the book and let relief come over her features, "and it's not poetry, it's songs."  
  
"That would explain why you repeated lines several times in some of them."  
  
"Yeah, well," Roe was kinda embarrassed that he was the one to see and even read some of her private thoughts, even if they were in the form of lyrics, "it's not polite to read other people's personal possessions."  
  
"Again with the possessive tone. Isn't it also not good to lay things around that any person could walk by and pick up? Practically an invite to explore just what you think about in that jumbled up mind of yours."  
  
"Oh, really? Leave it to you to see finding my journal as permission to explore its contents."  
  
"I retrieve your misplace item and get a set down. You really must work on your manners, Granger. Most people would have said thank you."  
  
"I'm not most people now am I?"  
  
She regretted that as she caught the appraising look spark in his eye again that had his eyeing her clinging Quidditch robes. Reflexively she brought her journal to her chest in a protective gesture.  
  
"No, I wouldn't say that you are."  
  
His tone was unlike she had ever heard him use before. Almost nice. It startled her.  
  
"Have a good night, Granger."  
  
He was walking across the grass, his feet sinking in slight due to the softness of the ground when he heard her call to him.  
  
"By the way, Malfoy, thank you."  
  
Damon stopped in mid-step and winked at her over his shoulder, seeing her frustrated look before going to the castle.  
  
~  
  
James saw Roe come into the common room with the journal; her diary of secrets was what Winnie always proclaimed the book as, exhausted and with a small smile on her lips.  
  
As he signaled to Sebastian, the fireplace sprang to life and above the mantle was a banner hanging by unseen magical hooks that read:  
  
'Thanks For Winning Us the First Game of the Year, Roe!'  
  
Out of every corner of the common room came fellow Gryffindors and Roe smiled at them for doing this. Putting down her broom she hugged James and Sebastian first.  
  
"We were going to make it a party for your high O.W.L.S and the birthday that we didn't get to celebrate with you this summer but we decided that this was just as good." Sebastian told her.  
  
"You guys didn't have to do this. We have six other people on the team." Roe protested.  
  
"But you did win us the game," James informed her, "even held onto the Snitch when you were injured. You deserve a party."  
  
"This was what I was trying to tell you." Lily said as Roe grinned.  
  
"Yes, I see. Thanks everyone."  
  
"And since we didn't get to celebrate your birthday for the first time in sixteen years," James stated, as they both had the same birth date and she had spent the past summer in New York when usually they celebrated their birthdays together, "we thought we'd throw you one here."  
  
"More presents that way." Winnie added with a laugh.  
  
"True," Carnation admitted, "but you were great, Roe and we all agreed that once you were all better to give you a great party."  
  
"Someone start the music!" Sebastian yelled and the pounding sound of 'Fuel' filled the common room provided by Roe's magically altered c.d. player system.  
  
Never had she guess that this was what they were up to, overhearing Topaz that one day about a party but never suspecting it was for her alone. For the whole Quidditch team, sure, but her?  
  
She was presented with gifts that she didn't expect and thanked profusely to everyone. Seeing Priscilla, Garrett and Forrest coming over with Ian and Lance as James was right behind her, Priscilla set a small gold paper wrapped present in front of Roe.  
  
"To help you stay on your broom this time." Forrest joked to have both Ian and Lance punch him.  
  
It was a pair of soft, feminine dragonhide gloves that had the stitched outline of a Snitch right on the wrist area. Along with small round object that was all yellow that said 'Pull cord to have inflate safety device to prevent injury from falling'. Roe giggled at the gift as Lance spoke.  
  
"That way Malfoy doesn't need to catch you."  
  
For some reason that had a feeling of sadness spread through her body that was seen only by Priscilla before it was replaced by appreciation.  
  
"We got it at Weasley's Wizard Wheezes." Ian warned, "so be careful."  
  
"My uncles make perfectly good devices," Sebastian defended then with a mischievous grin added, "that make people break into laughter."  
  
"Exactly," Roe said, "which means I would need to try this out before I actually need to use it."  
  
"Good idea," James insisted, "and I have just the right two people for the job."  
  
Everyone glanced at Forrest and Garrett who protested as Sebastian took the object proceeded to see just how it worked. Laughter, giggles, and chuckles were heard for the next hour as they all joked around before James took Roe aside, before the fireplace and opened her palm before placing a small item in it. A ring that was so beautiful that Roe glanced from James to the ring twice before she really took in the ring.  
  
It was made of metallic silver-gold, it shown with every reflection of light that hit it. The ring made a small spiral on the top where a ruby was set, and engraved on the inside of the ring was her, James and Sebastian's initials.  
  
"It's a protective ring, like the necklace around your neck," James explained, "it connects both me and Sebastian to you that if you need us the ring with cause us to hear your thoughts."  
  
"Peeking into your head," Sebastian was leaning over the back of the high- backed chair, "like you do to us."  
  
"But only when I need you," Roe countered, "unlike me."  
  
^Be afraid, be very afraid^ James laughed in his head.  
  
^Does that mean she knows about who I dreamt about last night….it was not that graphic really….though seeing Marielle in nothing but….^ Sebastian thought that Roe stared at him.  
  
"Well, if I didn't before I do now," Roe informed the redding red head, "and please try to keep your dreams to yourself, 'Bastian."  
  
James broke into uncontrollable laughter as Sebastian complained under his breath about girls in his head.  
  
"Just two it seems," Roe ribbed, "though the fact that you think I want to know your fantasies leaves me questioning just how graphic your fantasies get, 'Bastian. Should I inform Marielle about your intentions?"  
  
"Roe!"  
  
James was howling with laughter now and Roe was glancing over his shoulder at the Beauxbatons girl.  
  
"You are sure? You don't want me to tell her?" Roe made a step to seem like she was going into that direction to have Sebastian pull on her arm and caused her to land in the chair in front of him.  
  
"Don't, Roe, please."  
  
Roe smiled up at him before slipping the ring in her palm onto her left middle finger.  
  
"No problem, 'Bastian. Though I have to say," Roe leaned up, "that one move where you and her are in your dormitory is very creative."  
  
This caused him to turn the exact shade of his hair that James calmed himself down enough to chuckle every few seconds. Roe kissed Sebastian lightly on the cheek.  
  
"Didn't know you were so imaginative." Roe teased again into his ear before slapping James on the leg to stop his hysterical laughter just as Sebastian tackled his friend yelling that it wasn't that funny.  
  
Marielle's stare at the point left Roe with a chill as she glanced over to the fifth year girl, as each of the Beauxbatons students were from 4th-7th year. The pale haired girl had been watching them and Roe saw that an almost jealous rage took over Marielle's features when Roe had offered James her hand to help him up and he kissed her forehead wishing her a belated happy sixteenth birthday.  
  
"Roe, can I talk to you?" Winnie's voice intruded and Roe turned her attention to her friend.  
  
"Sure, Win, what's up?"  
  
Looking around, Winnie brought Roe over to a secluded corner of the room, as it was near ten and most of the others had headed up to the dorms. Sitting in the comfy plush chairs across from each other Winnie looked so preoccupied that Roe touched her friend on the arm.  
  
"Something bugging you?"  
  
"You know that I …" Winnie whispered, "like Trey, right?"  
  
Roe smiled softly and leaned back in her chair.  
  
"To me it's obvious."  
  
"And you aren't mad?"  
  
"Mad? Why would I be mad?"  
  
"Well, you and Trey spend so much time together…"  
  
Roe could have slapped James and Sebastian cause sure they told her about the Blood Bond but not about Trey being her brother. Though she really knew she shouldn't tell her friend so she inhaled.  
  
"Trey is my friend only. He and I get along because I kinda understand him but the only emotion I feel for him or he feels for me is strictly platonic."  
  
Winnie looked so relieved that Roe had to keep from laughing.  
  
"Cause me and him were talking in the courtyard the other day," Winnie started, "and I asked him to the ball but he hasn't said anything to me back since. I was wondering if I did something wrong or maybe he's going with someone else," Winnie indicated, "maybe I'm not his type he probably goes for those Ravenclaws or something."  
  
"No, Winnie, I'm pretty sure that he doesn't go for Ravenclaws and that he's actually really into a certain Gryffindor," Roe encouraged, "he's just a little shy."  
  
"Shy? Trey?"  
  
"Doesn't seem like the type, right? Well, Trey hasn't really been much into the dating game and so he's a little wary of the whole getting involved even if it's just for a dance. Tell you what, why don't I talk to him and see what's going on and I'll let you know."  
  
"Really? You'd do that?"  
  
"That's what friends are for, aren't they?"  
  
Winnie squealed with happiness and hugged Roe.  
  
"Thank you, thank you!"  
  
"Okay. Now why don't we head to bed?"  
  
Winnie nodded and followed Roe to where the dormitory of the girls divided into the years when Winnie disappeared into the fourth year Roe felt a sharp, cold hand lock on her upper arm and throw her against the stairway wall.  
  
"What do you think you are doing?!" Roe demanded as she saw the fury faced Marielle.  
  
"You leave Jhames alone. He does not belong with you."  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"You are moin que rein and I will not have you around Jhames," the blond tossed hair over her shoulder in a haughty manner.  
  
"Listen to me, you French poodle, I will not be threatened about who I can hang out with and especially not from some visiting veela. James is my friend."  
  
"Not for long, mam'selle, not for long."  
  
The blond threw Roe's arm away, reeling back as though burned when Roe realized that her necklace, the one her mother made and the ring were both shining brightly.  
  
"Like I said, you are less than nothing and you will never have Jhames."  
  
With that the younger girl left, as Roe felt a now setting in painful sensation coming from Marielle's touch on her arm. Gingerly moving her robe away from her upper arm she saw the bruising setting in of how hard Marielle's grip had been but what was stranger was the fact that the bruises were pitch black.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
More chapters….more fun….so do you like this one? Much to wonder about.  
  
January 10, 2002 


	7. Confrontations

Mark Of The Snake  
  
Chapter 7: Confrontations  
  
Written by: V Lynne  
  
echoinghearts@yahoo.com  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Running, faster, and deeper into the woods. Branches pulled at her robes, the sensation of fright causing her legs to move her quicker into the darkness. Sounds of pounding feet on the damp ground and crunch of leaves surrendered to the weight being placed on them by the pursuers. Nothing seemed to stop them, not the curse, hexes, and charms used. It was futile to continue yet she had to.  
  
Tears streamed down her cheeks, spraying her robes at the collar as she ran trying harder to get a great distance between the people responsible. Anything she did had consequences and her whole body hurt from the 'Crucio' and the words echoed out of her own mouth, those horrible words of 'Avada Kedavra' directed at the people she loved. Watching the whites of their eyes staring blankly up at the forest canopy, void and dead. They had gone against her, tried to help her, and for that they paid with their lives. How resourceful they were to use those items to get into her mind, to try to make her see them and only after she repeated the spell out loud, the one echoing in her head, did she finally see the error what of what she had done.  
  
All she could do was run. Run from the pain, the horrible destructive power that she had in her that caused such devastation. Hearing their shouts at her, their concern of her, until she could bare it no more and fell over some underbrush. Hands came up to her face, the heart wrenching sobs the only sound that led them to her. They, the ones responsible for creating such a deep separation between the people that truly cared and the ones that wanted her only for her power.  
  
"You honestly think you can escape who you are?"  
  
"I am not like you! I will never BE YOU!" she shouted back.  
  
"You are me, how could you forget our bond. Our connection."  
  
"I am not connected to you. You turned against me and now look what we've done."  
  
"What you've done, never one to take responsibility for your own actions, were you?"  
  
"How could you? I love you, I still love you and you are destroying us both!"  
  
"That is the nature of the beast, from birth it has been said this is what was to be and so it has come to pass."  
  
"We have free will, you gave in!"  
  
"I learned that I can not deny who I am, so why are you?"  
  
"I loved them!"  
  
"And for that they died. Do you wish more blood on your hands?"  
  
"I won't kill him. I can't."  
  
"Oh, but you will."  
  
"No!"  
  
Concern registered in the eyes of the male coming forward out of the cloud of black and she couldn't face him. Not after what she had done.  
  
"I love you. Remember that." Were the words he said and then the other one she loved said those words to her.  
  
"Then die for her."  
  
A blinding green light came and she threw herself at it.  
  
"Fool!"  
  
"I will not give in."  
  
"But you will. Wait and see."  
  
And she felt blackness, cold, and distant calling to her. Felt death touch her and all she saw was the one she felt closest to turn on the one she was in love with and then nothing…  
  
Roe Granger woke up covered in sweat, her heart beating like a drum in her chest and then pain laced through her. Hearing the chiming of the clock tower bell ring, signaling another day of classes, she set her feet on the floor. The groaning, complaints, and half-muttered words came from the other beds that contained the remaining 6th year Gryffindor girls. Wanting quiet and peace, Roe grabbed her house robe and made her way out of the room to the tranquility of the Prefect Bathroom. Hearing footsteps of already awake students heading to the Great Hall for breakfast, she said the password and entered the bathroom.  
  
Slipping inside, pulling back her pajama top to reveal thin cotton tank shirt underneath, she heard the sound of dismay that came from the mermaid painting.  
  
"What'd you do?" the mermaid asked, as Roe glanced in the mirror. To her startled eyes came the bruises on her upper right arm.  
  
Given to her last night, she didn't really register how awful they would look come morning but nothing was compared to the actual sight on them. Like five identical claw marks, though without the breaking of skin, were the bruises. Roe had thought that a trick of light was causing them to appear black but in the full-lit bathroom to her astonishment it had not been in her head. The five bruises provided by Marielle's harsh grip on her arm, were indeed black. Not black and blue, as any normal first gotten bruise usually was but pure black. What caused her to be even more startled was that the bruises around the arm seemed to lace into her arm veins making them a deep red and more pronounced in her upper arm. It was a disturbing sight that Roe protectively put her left hand over the bruises only to pull her hand away as she winced that by the simple contact of her own hand on her flesh caused needles of pain to prick her senses and made her recoil instantly.  
  
"I'd say that the nurse should have a look at that. Never have I seen…"  
  
Roe tossed a glare at the noisy mermaid.  
  
"Say a word to anyone and I'll provide a shark in that painted water of yours."  
  
The mermaid just blinked and disappeared into the splash of waves. Roe regretted her harsh tone but she couldn't afford to have anyone see this. Having them already so protective of her this would definitely send them over the edge. She could well imagine what her father, Harry and Ron would say if they got a glimpse. Shuttering she took the quickest bath to date and thanked herself that she had brought her clothes with her into the room, having set them on one of the chairs near the bathing pool, and pulled on the loose red sweater, jeans, sneakers and her robe with the Perfect badge and golden lion that was the symbol of Gryffindor on it. Bringing her long hair into a braided ponytail, she ran when she heard the thudding of feet on the stone corridors. Heading back to the Gryffindor common room and dorms she grabbed her books, passing a curious Velvet who was finishing painting her pinkie nail a deep scarlet red.  
  
"Wake up early, Roe?"  
  
"Yeah, I'll see you later," Roe snatched her books off her bedside table and ran back down the dorm stairs and out the passageway without a word to Winnie, Lily, Carnation, and Orville Longbottom sitting in the common room.  
  
"Something up with Miss Prefect," Velvet asked, coming down and blowing lightly on her tacky nails, "seems girlfriend is all out of sorts."  
  
"Party kept her up." Winnie offered as explanation.  
  
"No more than the rest of us."  
  
"Probably just wants to talk about the game today with James and Sebastian." Orville volunteered as another reason.  
  
"That seems more likely," Velvet concurred, "well, I'm off, kiddies, have to make my entrance and all."  
  
"Bye, Velvet!" they called after the vein girl.  
  
Winnie turned to Lily.  
  
"Do you have the banner ready for the game?"  
  
"Finished painting it last night," Lily informed her cousin, winking at Carnation, "It looks smashing."  
  
"Good. Let's get to breakfast."  
  
"Hey, Winnie," Orville, a replica of his father Neville, stopped Winnie, who watched Lily and Carnation exit the room, "about the Yule Ball…."  
  
Winnie gulped, knowing what he was going to ask and not wanting to hurt his feelings. He really was a nice guy.  
  
"Um…Orville, I'm kinda waiting for an answer back from someone…."  
  
"Oh, then well….if it doesn't work out maybe you and I…"  
  
"Sure," Winnie agreed, "I'd be happy to go with you."  
  
Seeing the relief he expressed, Winnie was inwardly sighing with relief herself. Better to let him down like that than to cause a sullen Orville, would in turn make Potions a living hell since he was not the most apt pupil.  
  
Winnie left the common room and ran right into Damon Malfoy, who was about as distracted as could be because he didn't even open his mouth to call her 'Weasel' or 'Carrot Top' like he usually did. Winnie watched in fascination as he stood there, right outside the passage into the Gryffindor tower and seemed not to notice anything going on around him. Very un-Malfoy like. Winnie couldn't help herself as she spoke.  
  
"Malfoy? Malfoy?" Winnie saw that her words didn't even penetrate so she touched his shoulder lightly which seemed to make him jump out of his skin, "hey, are you okay?"  
  
"Do me a favor next time, Carrot Top, and keep your grubby hands to yourself," his reply came, the same hostile self-righteous voice he always used.  
  
"Well it wasn't like you were listening to me say your name." Winnie told him, causing him to lean up from the wall he was currently making himself comfortable against, "and this is Gryffindor territory."  
  
"Tell me where Granger is." Malfoy insolently demanded.  
  
Winnie couldn't hide her amazement about him asking after Roe and he only rolled his eyes at her expression.  
  
"Don't have a brain melt down by my asking that, Weasel."  
  
"No, it's only…..why do you want to know?"  
  
"Forget it. I don't have time to mess with red headed twits."  
  
"Hey!"  
  
His walk didn't falter as he left her standing there shouting at him for insulting her.  
  
"That boy does fancy her," Winnie mumbled to herself with a grin, "I knew it!"  
  
"Knew what?"  
  
Winnie turned to see Ian McDonald and Lance Thomas standing right behind her.  
  
"Oh, nothing."  
  
Winnie walked to the Great Hall with a plastered smile on her face.  
  
~  
  
Roe entered the Great Hall conversations assaulted her ears and caused her to shake off the bombardment of commotion. Training on the seated James and Sebastian, deep in discussion over Quidditch as Sebastian's hands were going a mile a minute in examples of moves, she put a hand on the sable headed boy's shoulder and leaned over grabbing an orange and muffin.  
  
"Aren't you gonna join us?"  
  
"Sorry, boys, but you'll have to forego my presence," Roe teased, lightly, "as much as I know that pains you. I have to finish my Potions assignment."  
  
"For what week?" Sebastian inquired, tossing an apple at the entering Winnie, who glared retribution at her sibling catching the red fruit.  
  
"This week, you great big prat," Roe punched his shoulder, "all this time spending at Dueling and Quidditch I got behind."  
  
"Merlin forbid that you shouldn't have your work done on time."  
  
"Have to leave the slacking to you two," Roe retorted.  
  
"That hurt," Sebastian dramatically grabbed his chest near his heart, "right here."  
  
"I'm sure you'll survive. Bye."  
  
Passing Winnie, who caught Roe's empty hand.  
  
"Malfoy's looking for you, ran into him outside Gryffindor."  
  
"And he hadn't been hexed yet?"  
  
"James and 'Bastian were already here."  
  
"What he'd want?"  
  
"After insulting me he asked about where you were."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Seems the boy wants to converse with your extreme Prefectness."  
  
Roe snorted, "More likely wants to sn….shout at me about something."  
  
Winnie caught the slip but didn't say anything, keeping the knowledge to herself. Shooting a look over at the Slytherin table, Winnie saw Trey talking with Ebony.  
  
"You don't think he'd…"  
  
Roe saw the direction of Winnie's worried eyes and shook her head at spotting her friend's concern.  
  
"Not a chance. Have it on good authority that Trey would rather rot in hell before taking that vulture anywhere."  
  
Winnie nodded and went to eat.  
  
Roe felt a twinge in her arm and saw the blue eyes of Marielle coming from her now situated spot next to James. Without another minute passing, Roe exited the Great Hall and went to be alone. Potions was in less than a half an hour and she had to finish her work.  
  
Finding the dungeons empty, but for the already placed ingredients for today's potion, Roe sat at her seat and unrolled her parchment, going over notes and continued her writing as Snape only saw her, but didn't say a word as she wasn't on class time yet. Pushing away any distraction she was on the last sentence of her work when she reached to add ink to her quill only to find her ink well in the hands of Malfoy.  
  
"Took you long enough to realize that you have things going on around you, Granger."  
  
"Give me back my ink, Malfoy."  
  
"What's the magic word?"  
  
His lax stance and arrogant manner was grading on her nerves that she was not in the mood to deal with him.  
  
"Now."  
  
"What's the matter, Granger, didn't have Potter's full attention at breakfast?"  
  
"The fact that you noticed makes me wonder, Malfoy, didn't know you cared about James's attention unless you are keeping something from the rest of us…..an same sex preference?"  
  
Malfoy looked ready to throw up that Roe couldn't help a smile coming to her face.  
  
"That you would say that when you wouldn't even recognize a same sex preference individual if he was your shadow."  
  
"What are you talking about now, Malfoy?"  
  
Malfoy crossed his muscled arms over his broad chest, a smirk on his face.  
  
"Let's just say that your Frenchie isn't exactly all he seems, Granger. Not that the female population seems to care or realize this of course. Always falling for a pretty face."  
  
"Much like the girls that hang around you? Though I have to say nothing is attractive in ferret features. They must need to have their visions looked at."  
  
"Or maybe they see something you don't."  
  
"What? Your obnoxious tendencies or maybe your condescending manner," Roe was rising her voice having had enough and him and not seeing that the class was half full with fellow classmates all staring at the pair, "wait I know what it is. That money of yours, or should I say, your father's. Nothing like buying girls into liking you. So why don't you take yourself off to one of your many admirers and leave me alone because all you are to me is an arrogant, self-centered, over-bearing slimy git who is only after a girl to see how easily she'll give into your charms, little as they are, so that she'll be another notch on your bedpost. Well I'm not one of them. I see Ebony over there, why don't you go see how fast you can get into her robes and stop wasting my time."  
  
Roe reached out and jerked her ink well from his hand and set it in front of her, bending over her parchment leaving him standing in front of her desk with rage coming over his normally handsome face at her words. She was ignoring him, causing many Slytherins to stand in shock at her words and James, Trey, and Sebastian had entered moments ago seeing her volatile outburst, Malfoy had the look that if anyone said one word to them they might as well dig their grave now before he killed them.  
  
"Outside, now." Malfoy growled at her.  
  
"Sorry, I don't take orders from pale-faced Death Eater wanna-bes."  
  
^Do it now, Granger!^ Malfoy thought and Roe could feel the waves of anger coming through even in the thought.  
  
"What part of that sentence didn't you understand? I said No. N-O. Is that simple enough for your tiny brain to comprehend?"  
  
Snape had yet to enter the class, three minutes till it started, that only when those last words got out of Roe's mouth did Malfoy bodily jumped over the desk, grab her by the waist, toss her over his shoulder with her kicking and screaming words that not even the three guys just inside the classroom thought she knew. Velvet, Topaz, Wynter, Ian, Lance, and three other Gryffindor 6th years all followed Roe's rant out of the classroom with their eyes blown away by the complete 180 in their normally easy-going friend's personality. Her words were so hurtful it was worthy of Malfoy's remarks and Snape's comments, though more cruel because no one expected it of her. Sure she and Malfoy had their differences but she had yet to be as equally damaging to his pride as he was to hers these past six years, until she got on the Hogwarts Express and given it to him just as good as he did this year.  
  
James, Sebastian and Trey all kept anyone else from coming out to see the fight that had to happen between the two most headstrong people in their class and in existence at the school. All three very protective over her but even they were feeling kinda sorry for Malfoy to be on the receiving end of Roe's acid tongue.  
  
"Put me down, Malfoy, damn it!"  
  
Malfoy took her to the farthest end of the dungeon corridor, clearly in sight of the three other males but far enough away for them not to hear. The dungeons didn't echo like the other hallways did and that made what he was going to say that much easier without the whole class listening and watching.  
  
"Stop acting like a complete shrew and I will." Malfoy hissed at her, as her kicking halted and her hands, released the fists she was using to pound his back with.  
  
"Fine. Now will you put me down?"  
  
"If you keep it up, Granger, I will take your wand and put you in a full body bind. Got it?"  
  
"Alright."  
  
Setting her on her feet, he took her wand and sent it sailing into Trey's opened palm.  
  
"Just in case."  
  
"Why you…"  
  
Malfoy's eyes were focused, his own body one unmovable object of decision.  
  
"Locomotor Mortis!"  
  
The Leg Locker curse made her stop her movement from coming closer to him.  
  
"I hope you don't thick disarming me from my wand keeps me from…."  
  
Remembering that she rarely depended on her wand for spells, he added, "Silencio!"  
  
Unable to speak, Roe shown her resentment through her eyes.  
  
"Be mad at me all you want, Granger, it isn't going to help," Malfoy informed her, "you know I rather like it when you can't speak."  
  
He could see her arms reach out to strangle him but he stayed out of her reach with a chuckle.  
  
"You know had anyone else said what you had I would have had no remorse in causing them pain or hexing them but with you I have to say I'm at a loss. You don't seem to get who I am. Not only because I'm a Malfoy, a pureblood, or that I happen to be well sought after by many girls at this school, but who I am. You seem to think I am here to be your verbal punching bag which I am not," Malfoy came closer but restrained her hands to her sides with his fingers, gently but firmly gripping them, "you and I will come to a understanding if I have to put every anti-talking and moving curse on you I can think of. Nod if you understand."  
  
Reluctantly, Roe nodded.  
  
"Good. The thing is, Granger, I can't very well let you keep getting away with verbally insulting me in front of the whole student body, for some reason it makes me irrational. Case in point picking you up and taking you out here, although I must say what you said had to have some effect on your friends as none of them seem to be coming to your rescue. How interesting is that? Maybe they think you went way over the line as well. Which I assure you, Granger, you did."  
  
Roe just watched him.  
  
"How about we discuss this like rational people, or at least I will and you can listen as your tongue as had enough talking today I think. Let's start with the classroom, which is no doubt gossiping all about your very uncharacteristic outburst. Such inappropriate behavior for a Prefect and a Gryffindor at that. Almost worthy of a Slytherin," Malfoy cocked an eyebrow as she narrowed her eyes, "I know comparing you to us does seem unrealistic but what can I say? Such viciousness usually comes from us and not you peace-loving Gryffindors. As for what is going on between us, I'd say that maybe we should discuss our mutual admiration and respect for one another."  
  
Roe had an expression on her face that said she did not admire or respect him.  
  
"Just think for a moment if you can with all that obvious talk first think later examples you've been giving lately. Say I am just a normal guy, a Slytherin yes but a normal guy never the less. Your esteemed sibling is one and yet you don't hate his guts as you completely see fit to hate mine. If I was per say this normal guy, without any knowledge of my family or our parents background would you honestly be as malicious as you were a few minutes ago. I don't think you would, you weren't with Etienne so that rules that out so let's think of where this hostility towards me comes from. Sure maybe I've said a little too many times things about your family, mostly about your mother, but that's been partly fixed by this Bond between us which I can't say I'm anymore thrilled to have then you are. And maybe I've given you a hard time but what would life be at this school without our sparing each day? Pretty boring with that keen mind of yours I'd say. It has to be something else then," Malfoy seemed to contemplate what this mystery could be, "possibly that kiss. Though why you would get so worked up about it I have no idea since you seem to like Potter, or do you? Now there is a question, isn't there? Maybe the kiss made you think otherwise, or the fact that you seem to drape yourself all over Frenchie when he has other plans towards say, the same sex. Not exactly into the whole Granger package, acid tongue and your being female of course. So tell me, Granger, where does this absolute hatred of me come from? You keep bringing up the Death Eater possibility and yet I am not one and have no desire to be one. Is it part of your mind to convince yourself I am to save face against me? What could you need to hide that you would use that as an excuse? You are usually more decisive and thoughtful of these types of things, not going off half-cocked as it were."  
  
Seeing as how he couldn't very well get answers from her with the curse on her vocal cords, he released it.  
  
"Smart move to make me quiet, Malfoy."  
  
"I trust I don't need to put it back on."  
  
"No," Roe told him, "so where to start?"  
  
"How about give me an honest reason why you hate me?"  
  
"Don't you hate me?" Roe countered, "how about that, Malfoy? We haven't exactly given each any other reason to be friends or nice to one another."  
  
Malfoy answered, "No, I don't hate you, Granger."  
  
"Really? Since when? Last time I checked Mudblood children were not on your high priority list of people you care to have any feelings at all for."  
  
"Let's just say the Bond changed all that."  
  
"All it took was to have your pureblood running through my veins. Gee, thanks."  
  
"I didn't mean it like that!" Malfoy shot back.  
  
"Then how did you mean it, Malfoy? I really don't know where I stand with you. I can't help it that you bring out the demon in me," Roe looked ashamed and guilty, "I'm just not myself lately."  
  
"So you take it out on me?"  
  
"Would you rather I chose someone else to vent my anger at? You at least have a chance to come back with something and I know I can't possibly hurt you with all those words."  
  
"I'm only human, Granger, not some emotionally detached creature you seem to think me as."  
  
"Okay, so you have feelings, well so do I. Do you know how many times I cried when you were out of sight," Roe paused, "that I'm even telling you this must mean I've lost my mind," Malfoy lifted his mouth at her admission, "after you would knock me off balance with your comments on my parentage or just on me in general. Somehow since you seemed to not feel the least bit of remorse on causing me mental pain that I returned the favor. No one even threw those types of words at me before. Sure I spar with Sebastian," Roe laughed lightly, "but he's usually so easy to tease I can't help myself. James is so ….." Roe stopped when she saw Malfoy scowl at her, "okay so I won't bring Jamie into this. Then there is Trey, the only other one who gives me any sort of verbal sharpness but usually it's on our conflicting houses and not our mutual parents. To have you so cold about the whole thing I placed you in a box in my head and kept you there. Labeled 'evil and corrupt', so that's how I treat you."  
  
"I'm flattered that I get my own box, Granger."  
  
"Had to put you somewhere. My mind cages were already full and you would just howl when I left you in there too long." Roe joked, and then realized that she was talking to Malfoy and sighed, "Look, I don't mean to be like that. I'm kinda mad at myself for being such a bitch right then but Malfoy, you and I are two different that it's kinda hard for me to think of you as anything other than what I've known you to be for the past six years. You don't exactly have girls as just friends," she saw him smile suggestively and shook her head, "so it's not like I'm thinking you want to be my 'friend' by paying me all this attention the last couple of weeks. The kiss not withstanding."  
  
"So you do think about it."  
  
"What is with you? Is that all you think about? It was a simple kiss. A kiss does not equal a relationship and deeper feelings," Roe knew that was to save her, she didn't even want to give him the illusion that she thought about that kiss too often for her peace of mind, "besides, you know who I like."  
  
"The great and marvelously perfect Potter."  
  
"So, why do you keep trying?"  
  
"Cause maybe I think you're worth the effort."  
  
That was not an answer she expected and her clear surprise made his grin widen.  
  
"See what you get when we get honest."  
  
"Okay, remind me not to ask that again."  
  
"Hey, I didn't bring it up, Granger, you did."  
  
"Alright, it's all on me," Roe saw Trey, James and Sebastian now gone from the entrance of the Potions classroom, "we better get back before the whole class thinks we're out here snogging or something."  
  
"Wouldn't that be a crisis, Malfoy and Granger, snogging?" Malfoy declared mockingly.  
  
"Wouldn't it? I doubt your house would be all that thrilled with the idea, or Ebony for that matter. I am sure she has a picture of me pinned up somewhere as it is throwing darts at my head," seeing his confusion she held up her hand, "don't ask. Muggle thing."  
  
"Since you can get into my head," Malfoy wondered, "I think you know that there is nothing going on between me and Ebony."  
  
"Nothing? She sure seems to think there is," Roe noted, "and for your information, Mr. All-Knowing-Malfoy, I do not just pop in and out of your head like some genie. That's not how this whole mind-reading thing works."  
  
He took a step closer, too close for her real comfort but she'd damn herself before she let on.  
  
"Oh, really? So just how does it work?"  
  
"When you think of something, sometimes I pick up on it. Like when we were in the classroom and you mentally shouted at me to 'Do it now, Granger'," Roe mused, "it was like waves of anger accompanied it that I almost got knocked to the ground by your thought alone."  
  
"You did piss me off, Granger."  
  
"Hey, you started it."  
  
"I took your stupid ink well, no need to go all postal on me."  
  
"Yes it is!"  
  
"No it isn't!"  
  
They looked at each other, the childishness of their conversation and laughed.  
  
"Okay, maybe it was," Malfoy allowed, "but I never expected you to turn into Lady Death with an Acid Tongue on me."  
  
"Thank you for the wonderful description of me, I can see why girls line around the corridors to date you."  
  
"You do come to Slytherin." Malfoy accused and chuckled at her giggle.  
  
"Please tell me that they don't actually do that, it's such a pathetic picture I just might have to proclaim you taken…" Roe closed her mouth as she thought about what she said, "um….don't see too much into that. More open mouth insert foot."  
  
"Interesting Muggle saying."  
  
He glanced at her feet, clad in sneakers with the V sideways of the Nike sign.  
  
"Don't even think it, Malfoy. It's a figure of speech."  
  
"Right," he commented, "so are we at least on a truce basis?"  
  
"Whatever will the public say?" Roe said in a Southern accent dramatically.  
  
"Maybe that I've finally managed to bring you around to my way of thinking."  
  
"Like that will ever happen. Think Snape will go easy on us?" Roe glanced down to the dungeon door.  
  
"Me? Probably. You? Maybe. You are his daughter after all."  
  
"Don't forget a Gryffindor to my glowing attributes and he never resists the chance to take off Gryffindor."  
  
"Well, good luck, Granger."  
  
"Hey, Malfoy," Roe asked, as he took off the Leg Locker curse and she rubbed her strained legs, "why did you come to the Tower this morning?"  
  
"Weasel told you?"  
  
"Her name is Winnie and yes."  
  
Malfoy came forward read the mixed emotions in her always-intelligent cinnamon eyes.  
  
"I thought you were in trouble. That's all."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Thought I'd have another reason?"  
  
"Maybe your latest girlfriend broke your heart and you needed help cooping?"  
  
Malfoy snorted, "Right."  
  
"It was an idea."  
  
"Need to get back in there. I am sure we will hear all sorts of things by the end of the day on what is 'going on between us'."  
  
"So are we friends now?" Roe wondered curious.  
  
"If you want, though the repercussions might get me into duels with your pals Potter and Weasel."  
  
"Let me worry about Jamie and Bastian."  
  
"Alright then. Friends, at least until our next big fight."  
  
"In say about," Roe glanced down at her wristwatch, "a couple hours."  
  
Malfoy nodded, as she passed by him and he caught her arm, the right one unfortunately and she winced and bit her lip. Only because he saw it, studying her face, he let go not wanting to cause whatever pain she obviously was in and turned her to look at him.  
  
"What are you hiding, Granger?"  
  
"Nothing, just…I'm tired."  
  
"That causes you to wince when I touched your arm?"  
  
"It's nothing," Roe moved away from him, "just let it go, Malfoy."  
  
"Not a chance," he pulled her by her shoulder closer and moved her sweater and robe out of the way till he caught sight of the bruises, "Mother of Merlin, what happened? Who did this?"  
  
His fingers trailed above the decidedly painful marks, not wanting to touch them, as his light grip had been enough to send tears to her eyes. Never had he seen bruises look like that, no mere bruise was capable of the utter red and black rage these were.  
  
"Have you seen Madam Pomfrey?"  
  
Roe moved her arm away, sliding the sleeve and robe over to conceal the mark.  
  
"No and I'm not going to and don't you dare tell anyone," Roe insisted, "I have enough people worrying about me to add this stupid bruise to my list of problems and the last thing the team needs is to have their Seeker on the bench. We don't have a back up."  
  
"I don't think Potter would see the Team as a consideration above you."  
  
"I'm not going to tell anyone, Malfoy. Promise me you won't either."  
  
"Granger, this is something you should tell someone about…."  
  
"Promise me!" Roe pleaded, "I can't have people thinking I'm some sort of girl who can't take care of herself. I'm fine."  
  
"No you're not and if I had known…"  
  
"You couldn't have and don't start with the male chivalry bit cause it won't work. We are who we are."  
  
"Granger…"  
  
"I trust that the two of you have an good reason for skipping out on my class?" the sneering voice of Snape intervened as the two teens were now in front of the entrance to the Potions class.  
  
"We had a disagreement that we thought was better suited for out here rather than to disturb the class, Professor." Malfoy replied, smoothly.  
  
"As much as that is one of the better decisions you might have considered, since neither of you is known for your restraint in the area of communication of the negative kind towards one another, I am still forced to have you both serve detention after classes today," Snape glanced at Roe, "after your game, Miss Granger, wouldn't do to have your Head of House here based on this."  
  
"Yes, Professor."  
  
"Now get inside and we'll have to work on your class potion later tonight as the class is now working on the assignment for tonight. Please enter and take your seats and I trust all your issues were concluded successfully outside of my classroom?"  
  
"Yes, Professor." They both answered.  
  
"Good. Now get to work and I'll see you at eight tonight for your detention."  
  
Roe was just going to say at least he didn't take off house points when….  
  
As they both entered and he went to the front of the room, he turned in a swirl of black cloth, "Twenty points from Gryffindor for Miss Granger's lack of attention to when my class starts and that her assignment was not finished on time."  
  
Roe sat and blew an impatient hair out of her face and sighed. Cause she hadn't been able to finish that last sentence thanks to Malfoy, who was immersed in with Avery, Giselle and Ebony asking questions on what happened.  
  
"Mr. Malfoy, maybe you didn't understand that I told both you and Miss Granger that you were needing to work on your assignment for class unless you would like me to add another day of detention to your tonight's session." Snape broke into Roe's thoughts, causing all of Gryffindor have wide eyed expressions on their faces that he was actually reprimanding a Slytherin and Malfoy to boot.  
  
Malfoy nodded his understanding and went about working on his assignment.  
  
~  
  
Class ended and Roe was not ready to be having the amount of questions thrown at her when all of Gryffindor caught up with her outside of class.  
  
"I can't believe you said that to Malfoy, Roe, I was sure he was going to hex you then and there." Cynthia Longbottom said.  
  
"Never have I seen him so mad, even at James." Henry Hornby observed.  
  
"What did you two talk about out here? Snape wouldn't let us out to check." William Midgen wondered.  
  
"Yeah, Roe, what the slimy git say?"  
  
"We talked, no earth shattering problems occurred."  
  
"Talked? Not argued, wished each other to the ends of the earth?"  
  
"No. Just talked. Is that such a weird concept?"  
  
"For you and him? Yes."  
  
"Bastian!"  
  
"Well, it is. At least you can still play tonight."  
  
"Are you up to it?" James asked.  
  
Here's your chance, Roe, she told herself, just tell him you aren't up to it and you can go see about some sort of potion or spell to lessen the pain in your arm.  
  
"No, I'm fine."  
  
Stupid, she called herself.  
  
"Let's get to DADA and get this whole day with Slytherins concluded."  
  
Roe sighed and followed her friends, seeing Malfoy conducting himself against the wall with the Slytherins, two of who hissed at her as she passed.  
  
^Glad to see no boils or horns are protruding anywhere, Gryffindor^ Trey thought as he stood with that group.  
  
Roe grinned at him and passed him a note, unseen by the rest of the oily Slytherins that she had written in class from a piece of trash parchment.  
  
^Meet you before the Quidditch game?^ Trey read in his head.  
  
Roe nodded, seeing Sebastian glance back and pull her by her wrist, thankfully forward to get the scoop on what happened in detail.  
  
~  
  
Before the game, after a long grueling day of classes, but it was Friday so it wasn't too bad, Roe managed to dress in her robes without Priscilla seeing the bruises and find Trey. As casual yet dominating by using his arm to prop his body against the wall, completely unselfconscious as three of the Ravenclaw Quidditch players, Mariorie Diggory included, gave him a very appraising look.  
  
"Hey, babe, waiting for me?" Roe impishly asked, coming to stand next to him.  
  
"Who else? Like I'd be caught dead down here otherwise."  
  
"Forgot you aren't exactly a lover of the game."  
  
"Truer words were never spoken, so what's the big emergency? Get Malfoy to express his undying love for you during your 'talk' and telling me how this is just like you pictured a guy telling you cause I've got places to be."  
  
"Smart ass."  
  
"Part of the time, the other my ass just won't talk to me."  
  
"Winnie wants to know what your answer is. How could you not tell her by now? Aren't you human? Do you not know that when a girl gets up the nerve to ask a guy out that she is practically nerve wrecked until she gets an answer back?"  
  
"Okay, okay," Trey held up his hand to ward his irritated sister off, "don't want you to give me a tongue lashing like Malfoy."  
  
"Like I would, I love you."  
  
"Like I said. I admit that maybe I have been a little preoccupied and haven't gotten back to her but my answer is yes."  
  
"Good, now I want you to tell her so she doesn't seek revenge on the nearest male."  
  
"Trying to keep her from turning into Roe Jr.?"  
  
"Funny but somehow I'm not laughing."  
  
"No sense of humor. Must have killed it today."  
  
"You are dismissed, evil brother."  
  
"You mean it? You won't come after me with curses on my House, yadda yadda?"  
  
"Leave before I change my mind."  
  
Trey's stoic face smirked and he gave her a one handed hug.  
  
"Win."  
  
"Always."  
  
"Granger! Hurry your butt up or Potter's gonna have our necks!" Ian called down the corridor.  
  
"Coming! Bye, Slytherin."  
  
"Bye, Gryffindor."  
  
~  
  
The game was brutal. Not only because so many times both times came close to scoring and were stopped by the opposing team but because Roe felt like ripping off her hurt arm by the end of the night when she caught the Snitch by a hair, as Mariorie put up a great fight over it. As soon as her feet touched the ground Roe collapsed into the waiting chest of Sebastian, who put a steady hand on her back to keep her from becoming friends with the field.  
  
"You okay, champ?"  
  
"I will be when the field stops spinning." Roe admitted, to have his chest move as he chuckled.  
  
"That triple spin on your broom do you in? Have to admit it was impressive that you stayed on, James can only do a double and keep a steady head."  
  
"I just want to have the land become flat and I'll be okay."  
  
"Amazing! Bloody brilliant work, Roe! Even Harry couldn't have done better." Ron enthusiastically commented on, as both he and Harry came down the seating to congratulate Gryffindor on another win.  
  
"Thanks, Ron. Though I am no where near Harry's legend, I can't do hundred feet drops and stop on a dime."  
  
"Seventy-five, yes. Hundred, no." Sebastian informed them.  
  
"Give Roe a chance, she'll get there." James came down with, landing expertly and smiled widely at his father and uncle.  
  
"Triple spin! I want to try that!" Lily made her way to the group, with Winnie in tow.  
  
"Not yet, you don't." Harry warned.  
  
"Believe me, kiddo, it's not all it's cracked up to be," Roe stated, putting a hand to her head, "and I still have to do detention."  
  
"Snape punishing you?" Ron questioned, "what about?"  
  
Roe tossed a Not-A-Word glance at all the members of Gryffindor House there.  
  
"Didn't finish my assignment," Roe admitted truthfully, for it was one of the reasons.  
  
"Don't let Hermione hear about that, she'll be on the next apparate here." Harry teased.  
  
"Let's let the girl rest," Professor McGonagall cut in, "Madam Pomfrey would like to check up on you."  
  
Tensing, as Roe saw Malfoy passing by overhearing and nodding in agreement. Roe glared at his retreating figure.  
  
^Go, Granger, maybe you could stop being in pain and being a pain^ Malfoy thought and she could practically see the smirk on his face.  
  
"I'm fine, Professor. No complaints unless you count me having Malfoy blood in my veins." Roe said, a bit louder for him to hear but he only winked over his shoulder at her.  
  
Sebastian and James both laughed at that.  
  
"If you are sure…"  
  
"Really, Professor, fine. I just need to go get showered and changed, I have detention to get to."  
  
"Detention? Why wasn't I informed about this?"  
  
"Snape gave it." Harry filled in.  
  
"As long as it isn't long, you've had a long day."  
  
If only you knew how long, Roe thought ruefully.  
  
~  
  
Roe changed into cotton pants and a plain green t-shirt with her robe over it, something comfortable that she could just change her top in order to sleep once she got back to the dormitory. Grabbing her Potions book and parchment, with quill and ink well, she headed to the dungeons to find Malfoy already in the dungeons, sitting at one of the black tables, in his usual position of having the chair he sat in on two legs rather than four. His hair was wet, obviously he had taken a shower as well, in clean black slacks a black shirt and robes. Playing with his quill he had his attention on the door so he saw her the minute she entered.  
  
"Feeling better, Granger?"  
  
"Why wouldn't I?"  
  
"You didn't go, did you?"  
  
Roe set out her items, before glancing at him, his eyes trained on her.  
  
"I'm fine, stop asking."  
  
"If you want to be in continuous pain far be it for me not to let you indulge in the past time, didn't know you were in sadism."  
  
"Really? Those boys of mine must not be letting anyone know, I should have known something was wrong when good-looking boys with real attitude problems keep bugging me when I am trying to work."  
  
"You think I'm good-looking, huh?"  
  
"Who says I was talking about you?"  
  
"Alright, Granger, fair enough."  
  
"Good evening, Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy. I trust you both did not exert yourselves getting here or get lost?" Snape barked at them, stopping their banter.  
  
"No, Professor." Roe replied dutifully.  
  
"Actually, Granger here, says she finds it a pain to come all the way down to the dungeons on her free time. That we should just be allowed to go so that she can go find Potter and…ouch!" Malfoy ended his words with Roe stepping heavily on his foot as they sat next to each other.  
  
"Is that true, Miss Granger?"  
  
"No, Professor. Malfoy has an active imagination."  
  
"Be that as it may, shall we get to your assignment? It will be a personalized feeling potion, which translates into numbing or building on a feeling you are feeling currently and may I state that anger is not one I suggest either one of you work on."  
  
Malfoy coughed to hide his laugh at Roe's pointed glare.  
  
"All the ingredients are found on page 453 of your text and it will tell you what you need for which ever concoction you want to create. After you finish the potion, one of you will drink it, if it works an aura of that potion will surround you in a color only then will I see about giving you a passing mark. You have an hour to conduct this and finish the assignment as Professor McGonagall so quickly reminded me that Miss Granger has had a long day and it wouldn't due for her to fall asleep during my assignment."  
  
Snape left them to their own devices, so that Roe opened her book reading over the ingredients until Malfoy put a slender finger on the one she was currently looking at.  
  
"A Pain Reducing Potion makes the drinker feel no physical pain from whatever element is currently causing them pain. Works on any element minus the Crucio curse. A white light will surround the drinker for a minute after the potion is ingested and works immediately. Caution that drinking more than one cup will cause side effects." Malfoy read aloud.  
  
"Still trying to get me to take something?"  
  
"Well, it couldn't hurt."  
  
"What do we need?"  
  
"I'll get it."  
  
As they finished brewing it, Malfoy handed her exactly a cup of the potion, after they fought over who was to cut, crop, and stir what.  
  
"Well, drink it already!" Malfoy snapped at her.  
  
"Get bent, Malfoy."  
  
"Later, Granger."  
  
She rolled her eyes at his insinuation and gulped the foul tasting stuff. Putting the cup on the table, she felt better the pain in her arm receding and a white light outlined her body.  
  
"You okay?"  
  
"No, I'm standing here suffering in quiet agony."  
  
"Cute, Granger, your sarcasm is back in full force."  
  
Snape saw the pair talking and nodded to his daughter, noticing she had tried a pain-lessening potion. As a parent, he knew there was a reason behind it that he wouldn't get the answer out of her but he could get it out of Malfoy.  
  
"Clean up and you may both leave."  
  
Roe cleaned up the chopped fairy wings while Malfoy cleaned out his cauldron. Roe bid them goodnight as Snape placed a hand on Malfoy's shoulder.  
  
"Professor?"  
  
"Mr. Malfoy, I think you know why I held you back."  
  
"The Potion?"  
  
"Correct. May I assume that you know something is paining Miss Granger and suggested that potion to her?"  
  
"Shouldn't you ask Granger, Professor?"  
  
"I doubt that if Miss Granger wishes this to be a secret she would not tell me."  
  
"Her arm," Malfoy admitted, "she has five bruises that aren't bruises on it. She won't tell me how she got it and until now with the potion wouldn't accept any help or advise to go to Madam Pomfrey."  
  
"I take it you have seen these bruises?"  
  
"Yes, Professor."  
  
"How are they not bruises?"  
  
"They are black, Professor. Pure black, with red outlining them and causing the veins in her upper arms to lift in agitation," Malfoy concluded, "it doesn't look like anything I've ever seen almost like a…."  
  
"Mr. Malfoy?"  
  
"A dark mark, Professor."  
  
"I take it she did not admit this willingly?"  
  
Malfoy gave a half-grin.  
  
"No. I touched her upper arm in passing and she winced, so I took it upon myself to find out what was causing the source of the pain."  
  
"I thank you, Damon, for helping her." Snape's voice became less snide and mellower.  
  
"She's really stubborn, Professor, besides if I didn't tell someone she is going to end up in constant pain. Those bruises don't look like they'll be going away anytime soon."  
  
Malfoy went to leave but Snape said something that stopped him.  
  
"You didn't have to tell me."  
  
"I know."  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
A very long chapter, longer than my others and with lots of conversation. More to come soon I hope. Thought it was about time Damon and Roe had it out. All about whose taking who to the ball, Roe's dream, and what is going on with Marielle in the next…..Heading To France, Chapter 8  
  
January 20, 2002 


	8. Pain and Questions

Mark Of The Snake  
  
Chapter 8: Pain and Questions  
  
Written by: V Lynne  
  
echoinghearts@yahoo.com  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Roe's life became so full the next couple of weeks she had no time to really take a good look around and wonder why people were staring at her in the halls, at the meals in the Great Hall, or even in her own House. With Ron leaving the day after they had beat Ravenclaw at Quidditch, the amount of extra work the Professors seemed to think all their students needed, the continuing Quidditch games (two more that had been against Hufflepuff and Slytherin, both won by Gryffindor), Dueling Without Wands, and all the points that amounted and decreased in the Houses for the upcoming Yule Ball had the entire student population on edge.  
  
Winning the Quidditch games kept Gryffindor in the running for the Yule Ball in France but Roe wasn't so sure she wanted to go. It was some big dance where she always felt awkward and uncomfortable. Dances were not her thing, although music was and Merlin knew that the monotone music they played at the dances were not in her range of what music is supposed to sound like. How do you really dance to classical anyway, Roe pondered, sitting in her Transfiguration class.  
  
It was now a week and a half until the ball, which meant seven days until the students going left and two more days until the actual ball. Roe had tuned out the loud noise concerning the dance in place of more relaxing notions, such as having the Gryffindor 6th year dormitory all to herself if she stayed. A smile made its way to her lips as she thought of the peace and relative quiet that would make it perfect for her to crank up her c.d player.  
  
"Miss Granger?" Professor McGonagall's voice broke into Roe's thoughts.  
  
Blinking her thoughts back, Roe glanced over to the prim dressed Professor.  
  
"The class has been dismissed."  
  
Roe hid her blush by her left loose hair and gathered her book, parchment and quill into her bag. Getting up, she walked up the steps, as the class was set up in rows that were on levels, to open the classroom door. Closing it behind her, Roe stood right in the near the door that was pushed back from the corridor wall and hid her from view. Voices traveled to Roe's ears, as she straightened the strap on her book bag.  
  
"So has he asked you yet?" Ebony Montague asked.  
  
"No, but he will." The smug tone of Marielle Bourges stated.  
  
"He's no Damon but I suppose for a Gryffindor he is okay." Giselle, another Slytherin, mused.  
  
"Which one of you are going with Damon?" Marielle questioned.  
  
Roe took note that both girls had an unusually long period of silence before answering the French witch's question.  
  
"He hasn't been around much for anyone to ask him about it."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"He's been around that Granger Mudblood girl. You heard about their fight in Potions a couple weeks ago right? Well it seems that their friends now," Ebony spat, "though how he could lower himself. He's a Slytherin and a Malfoy!"  
  
"He's lost it. I mean who would want to hang around that goody-goody Gryffindor Prefect when they have us?"  
  
Roe had to keep her snort to herself. Both Ebony and Giselle, especially Giselle, were dense. From what she heard from Trey neither girl had been asked yet when Trey brought up that he had spoken to Winnie, and none of the Slytherins were going to ask them. Why be stuck in a foreign country with those half-wits when a menu of French girls awaited them were the thoughts of the Slytherin males.  
  
"I assure you that so called Granger girl won't be around long enough to attend the ball." Marielle filled them in on.  
  
Roe peeked her head around the corner. She didn't trust Marielle, the mark on Roe's arm hadn't healed although the pain had lessened, and she knew the girl was up to something. No normal witch could make such a mark and she'd be damned if she let that conniving girl get her hands on James, as it seemed he was the one she was after.  
  
"What do you mean?" Ebony replied, her eyes full of wonder.  
  
"Let's just say she might come down with something she can't get rid of."  
  
"Oh, tell us, Marielle!" Giselle exclaimed.  
  
"You'll see," Marielle said, "I need to get to my next class, I have James to see about."  
  
Both Slytherins took off down the corridor and out of sight when Roe came around the corner.  
  
"Marielle!" Roe yelled and got the blond haired girl's attention.  
  
Turning around, her every movement seductive, Marielle regarded Roe with narrowed eyes.  
  
"Standing there long, Mudblood?"  
  
"Just long enough."  
  
"They obviously don't teach Muggle-borns their place here," Marielle indicated, "little animals walking around with no leash."  
  
"I could say the same about people that use Dark Arts, cause last time I checked normal bruises weren't black."  
  
"Like my trick? I thought you would."  
  
"What the hell did you do to me?"  
  
"Nothing that you didn't allow. You see, that mark stays on as long as you have anger in your heart. It feeds off it. Quite a useful tool to take care of useless people such as yourself."  
  
"Really? And here I thought you put it on cause you can't face me yourself, my bad."  
  
Marielle's lit with a red flame that Roe had the strong urge to run. Coming closer Marielle was only two feet away when she spoke again to Roe.  
  
"You really don't get it, do you, Mudblood? The thing is that you don't belong here. In this school, in this world, even in this life. You are so much more than that yet you lower yourself to being around these pathetic fools like Dumbledore that have no idea of the secret you have. I felt it when I touched you, although those trinkets of yours repelled me. Must say that hasn't happened before so the mark on your arm isn't as fully developed as I had wished."  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"Why you?" Marielle glanced into Roe's face and gave a laugh, "you still don't know who you are, do you?"  
  
Roe wasn't about to give anything away to this girl.  
  
"The Cursed you might be, Mudblood, but here's the thing," Marielle spoke in shrill tones, "even if I put every hex and curse on you I knew you'd still survive wouldn't you? Not that you know that or that Blood Bond that links you to those four," Marielle caught Roe's startled look, "yes I know all about it because I'm the one that poisoned you."  
  
"You?!"  
  
"Interesting to see how fast everyone seemed to come to your rescue especially Malfoy and Potter. I'd say they are the ones we want."  
  
"Want for what?"  
  
Marielle only smoothed her form-fitting robe over her figure. Roe reached out to shake the information out of Marielle but a gust of wind and blinding red light threw Roe against the corridor wall with such force Roe heard cracks come from her bones.  
  
"Don't think to touch me, Mudblood, or I won't be as lenient as I have now. My master would not like me to kill his prize just yet."  
  
Roe opened her eyes, the irises dilated to a gold and Marielle couldn't hide the shock she felt at seeing those powerful eyes directed at her. Marielle felt herself picked up with invisible arms and thrown to the opposite stonewall, pinned to it with cruel hands clawing into her shoulders. Blood came to the surface as the skin was broken and robes ripped so that streams of the red liquid ran down her body and pooled at her feet, still five feet above the corridor floor.  
  
As Marielle let out a red power to stop this, Roe was covered by a white aura and the spell was repelled. Both girls were drained and Roe lost consciousness as the pain of her broken bones set in. Marielle fell to her knees on the ground, her blood spilling over the gray stones and she hissed out the spell to clean up her blood. Eyes set on retribution for the Mudblood's action, she moved only to have words whispered in her ear.  
  
Not yet, the voice whispered, give the child time to come to us and then you may seek out your revenge.  
  
Spitting in Roe's direction as she stood, the part-veela girl went to clean up before she headed to class leaving Roe in the corridor without any help.  
  
~  
  
Harry glanced over his DADA class that included his son and nephew to see the spot next to the two where Roe always sat empty. A worried glance passed between the two boys and Harry went to stand next to them as the last of the Slytherins filed in.  
  
"Where's Roe?"  
  
"We haven't seen her. She was still working in Transfiguration when we left and she wasn't at Care of Magical Creatures last class."  
  
Harry cursed under his breath and went to the head of the class, seeing a very smug looking Marielle coming in late and sitting in the vacant seat of Roe's next to James. Starting class he gave them a book assignment and went to find out what was going on. Only then as he came back into the room after speaking to McGonagall he realized that Damon Malfoy was also missing.  
  
~  
  
Damon felt the strong urge to punch something at Ebony's straight twisted words that made it seem like he was taking her to the Yule Ball. He had not asked and she just turned the conversation last period to her brainless way of thinking.  
  
Why was it he always got the most irritating girls to hang all over him? Damon thought and continued down the empty corridor, staring out without really seeing anything as he walked.  
  
He had wanted some time to collect his thoughts so he was taking the long route to Defense Against Dark Arts, not that he was ever going to really need the class. He knew just about every curse and hex the Dark Arts world had and most of the counter curses. His father had seen to that as a way to make sure his only heir was ready for any situation. Draco Malfoy had not joined the Death Eaters but wasn't about to let his son not know how to protect himself when indeed that world arose. It was inevitable as Roe had told Potter in that classroom, Voldemort wasn't dead only in hibernation. It would do well for them to be prepared. His mother, Blaise, told him all he could do was watch and wait. Another reason he agreed to help with watching over Roe. Not that the little minx needed watching, Damon thought ruefully, what she needed was a damn keeper.  
  
That thought snapped him out of his moodiness just in time to catch a shape coming up slumped on the floor. Picking up speed he knelt down and moved the hair out of the face of the person to find Roe.  
  
"Granger!" Damon demanded, he didn't know if he should move her as he touched her sides and felt that her ribs were broken and a small pool of blood was near her head.  
  
"You do get into every possible situation, don't you, Granger?"  
  
Damon knew she wasn't going to answer but said it anyway. Pulling away her bag, which weighted a ton, he pushed her long hair out of her face to take a look at the swollen forehead on the right side with blood leaking out.  
  
"Ferula!" Damon commanded and a bandage was placed over the wound, "Mobilicorpus!"  
  
He raised her off the ground by the spell and toward the Hospital Wing, only to see her breathing was becoming shallower, so he broke off the spell and took her in his strong arms. Keeping her high against his heart and gentle so as not to disturb her body anymore from the problems it was already having, he made a mad dash to the Hospital Wing, calling out, "Morbiliarbus!" so that his bag and hers followed them.  
  
Entering the Hospital, startling a bedpan cleaning Madam Pomfrey, he set Roe on one of the white linen beds. Instantly the elder woman was in motion and asking questions as she saw after Roe.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"I didn't do it," Damon defended at the woman's accusing glare, "I found her like this in the Transfiguration corridor. I think her ribs are broken and she looked to have landed hard on her right side."  
  
"Yes, yes," Pomfrey was freeing Roe of her garments that Damon turned his back as he caught sight of her just in her pristine white bra.  
  
"Will she be okay?" Damon called over his shoulder.  
  
"We'll see. Please go inform Dumbledore and Snape to get here quickly."  
  
Damon took off, knowing this was one way to help Roe without actually having to watch Pomfrey do it. A clothed, sarcastic Roe he could deal with. An unconscious, vulnerable slightly nude Roe wasn't another matter altogether and he didn't appreciate how his body was reacting to seeing her in only her underwear.  
  
Damon got to Snape's classroom, ignoring the 4th years staring at him.  
  
"Granger's in the hospital wing," Damon stated as he got close to Snape's desk and low enough for only Snape to hear, "Pomfrey wants you there now."  
  
Standing up, in true Snape fashion casting a scowl over the class, a warning.  
  
"I will be back in fifteen minutes. If any of you see fit to cheat on this exam I wouldn't advise it for I have now placed an Anti-Cheating Spell on your quills."  
  
Leaving after Damon, who was already making his way to Dumbledore's office found Professor Potter already there.  
  
"Granger's in the Hospital Wing," Damon informed the two men, "I found her and took her there."  
  
Harry's concern was justified as he followed Dumbledore and Damon back to the Hospital Wing. He kept outside as the two Professors entered. Seeing that Pomfrey was working vigorously over Roe, he didn't know what else he could do.  
  
"Mr. Malfoy, if you would please explain what happened when you found her." Dumbledore asked, seeing that Snape was using his knowledge to help her leaving nothing for him and Harry to do.  
  
Coming into the room, his eyes apprehensive, Damon put on his mask of indifference.  
  
"I found her in the Transfiguration wing, she was unconscious against the wall and I brought her here."  
  
"You didn't notice anything unusual going on?" Dumbledore inquired.  
  
"Nothing. She was alone and that is one wing without many portraits on it so I doubt any of them saw anything either."  
  
"Get to class, Mr. Malfoy, you can do no more here."  
  
Damon nodded, casting a glance to the infirmary room before taking his leave. Harry went into the room, seeing how white she was, the aura given off by Hermione's necklace casting a light around her as well as her entire hand with the ring on it a bright glow of red.  
  
"What could have done this?"  
  
Pomfrey lifted up Roe, so that the sheet covering her to neck dropped to her waist showing off the white bra and then the discolored right arm.  
  
"What in the name of Merlin is that?" Pomfrey gasped.  
  
Snape moved to study the mark, which was no longer like what Damon had told him but was almost engulfing the entire upper arm from elbow to shoulder. Completely black with red, the veins lifting up from her arm all angry and dark blue, was his daughter's arm. Pain seemed to radiate from the mark and it was like surrounding just the arm in the continue Cruciatus Curse. Snape had been subjected to it too many times not to recognize the waves of anger it gave off but never had he seen it used like this. More disturbing was that the black was now fading from their sight and then appeared as a snake up her upper arm, all black and outlined in green.  
  
"I'd say that Roe has just been made a Death Eater." Snape stated.  
  
"The mark doesn't look like that though," Harry protested, "it's a skull with a snake."  
  
"Not Voldemort's mark, Potter. His is just a snake and I think he's found his heir."  
  
"Roe?"  
  
"It would seem so."  
  
"But how?"  
  
"That's the question isn't it?"  
  
"And I suggest we find out before something happens more to Miss Granger or to Mr. Snape." Dumbledore told the two males.  
  
"I can heal her," Pomfrey interfered, "though she's going to be uncomfortable for a few days while her bones heal we are lucky that when they split they didn't hit any vital organ in her body."  
  
"No one is to speak of this mark," Dumbledore commanded of them, "until we figure out how she received it. Does anyone else know of that mark, Severus?"  
  
"Just one," Snape mentioned, "and that's Damon."  
  
"Malfoy knows? He didn't say anything to us about it."  
  
"Roe told him not to. You and your little mission has caused her enough grief, Potter, you were stifling her that she wouldn't even admit to anyone she's been in constant pain for almost three weeks. That's what you precious Ministry of Magic has done to her."  
  
"Snape…." Harry warned.  
  
"What, Potter? You want to have a row?"  
  
"Will both of you please continue this later, we have Roe to worry about," Pomfrey reprimanded them.  
  
"Both of you should return to your classes as Poppy has this under control."  
  
Pomfrey agreed and sent both away. Glancing to Dumbledore she saw the mark on Roe's arm and shuttered.  
  
"How, Albus? How could she have gotten this? The Death Eaters haven't been around in years and now she shows up with the mark? Who could have done it?"  
  
"I will find out, Poppy, you just concern yourself with healing our Miss Granger."  
  
"Poor child."  
  
~  
  
The minute Harry informed James, Sebastian, and Trey about Roe, all hell broke out. Sebastian's eyes followed Damon's retreating figure out of the room and waited until their classroom door was closed to shout at the Slytherin boy.  
  
"You did it, didn't you?"  
  
"What delusion are you living in now, Weasley?"  
  
Ebony, Giselle, Etienne, Marielle, Avery, and Bletchley stood around Damon as he faced the enraged red head.  
  
"Don't act like you don't know exactly what I'm talking about!" Sebastian shouted, not taking the way James said not to get into this now or Trey's shaking of his head to heart.  
  
"You think I put Granger in the Hospital?"  
  
"Why not? You aren't exactly above suspicion, Malfoy and you and her did have that row a couple weeks ago."  
  
"I take it Granger hasn't informed you that she and I have a truce?"  
  
"A truce? With you? You were lucky she didn't bloody well kill you!"  
  
"Oh, really? And why is that, Weasley? You know now that I think about it, I did put her in the Hospital," Damon sneered.  
  
That was enough to send Sebastian into a physical rage and launched himself at the other boy, knocking them both to the ground so that Sebastian's clenched fists connected with Malfoy's jaw. Not taking this lightly, Malfoy punched the other boy back, knocking Sebastian off him with a swift blow to his stomach. Standing, Malfoy glared down at Sebastian's figure sitting on the stone-cobbled ground.  
  
"Get all the facts, Weasley, before you come after me."  
  
"I'll kill you, you slimy git!"  
  
"Every time you say that Weasley it looses more power, being redundant never causes fear."  
  
Standing with the help of James, an arm belonging to Trey held Sebastian back.  
  
"Enough! We have more important things for us to worry about."  
  
James kept a firm hold on Sebastian's other arm.  
  
"He didn't hurt her, 'Bastian." James assured, causing Malfoy's eyebrows to lift.  
  
"How do you know? For all we know he's the one that shot that poison at her too!"  
  
"Think about it, Weasley, like I would really do that when I was right there when it happened, would have been pretty stupid of me to do it in front of everyone, wouldn't it?"  
  
"No one ever said you were smart, Ferret Boy."  
  
"Watch your friend, Potter, one day he might be the one that gets injured instead of Granger and that time it will be from me."  
  
Damon left with all the Slytherins simpering on how great he was while Marielle and Etienne stayed.  
  
"Oh, Jhames, that is so horrible to hear about your friend," Marielle cooed to the raven-haired boy making Trey and Etienne roll their eyes at her tone.  
  
"I think he knows that, Marielle," Etienne told the girl, who he could never personally stand.  
  
"We better go see how's she doing." James said, ignoring Marielle.  
  
"I still say Malfoy did it."  
  
"Damon wouldn't hurt Roe, Sebastian." Trey claimed.  
  
"Why not? It's not like he likes her."  
  
James looked at Etienne.  
  
"Are you coming with us?"  
  
"Oui, I want to see how ma petite is feeling."  
  
Not a single one of them paid any mind to the festering Marielle over the utter lack of attention she was receiving. Standing there she swore and all the portraits on the walls blanched at her words.  
  
"Did you do it?" Yvonne came up from behind Marielle.  
  
"I did and he goes to see about her health," Marielle scoffed, "the girl is so weak I do not see how she can be the one."  
  
"It is not for you to decide Marielle, it is for HIM."  
  
"That fool Etienne suspects something."  
  
"Does he?"  
  
"I think we might have to do something about that."  
  
"Have you talked to Jhames?"  
  
"Non, but I will. He won't be able to help himself."  
  
Yvonne beamed, "You've completely it."  
  
Marielle sought inside her bag and pulled out the tube.  
  
"One kiss and he's mine. Not even his connection to that little nuisance will save him."  
  
"The master will be pleased."  
  
"What makes you think I do anything for that Thing?"  
  
Shocked, Yvonne blinked.  
  
"You are not serious, are you?"  
  
"Of course. I have the power, not him. He is only a vestal and I am the key. He should be serving me."  
  
"Marielle, you will be killed."  
  
"Not if he doesn't find out and you," Marielle took a menacing step towards the younger girl, "aren't going to tell him."  
  
"You've already angered him with that stunt with the girl, you were supposed to scare her not damage her."  
  
"I do not care. She is beneath me."  
  
"From your wound earlier I'd say she was coming into her own power from what you have done to bring it to the surface. Be careful you do not over extend your bounds or she just might kill you."  
  
Marielle huffed and walked away.  
  
~  
  
A moan came out of the cot bed as Roe coughed and sat up only to pant at the pain waves clashing over her.  
  
Man do I hurt, Roe thought.  
  
Seeing that she was in the Hospital wing she reinforced her opinion that she spent entirely too much time unconscious and waking up not knowing how she got there. Remembering clearly what happened, she knew she had to get to James before that she-devil did. Tossing the blankets off her, she placed her feet on the chilly floor and winced at her rib bandages cutting into her breathing. Keeping a hand on the bed she went and stood shocked at who was sleeping in the chair right across the walkway from the bed she exited.  
  
Head limply dropped to his chest, with stray blond hairs falling forward and in wrinkled robes with an opened Charms text in his lap was Damon. She almost laughed but thought better of it as that was sure to hurt her ribs as well.  
  
"Malfoy," Roe whispered to wake him up seeing the star filled sky outside the windows above his head, "Malfoy."  
  
Seeing that he was indeed out, she raised her voice.  
  
"Malfoy!" Roe touched his shoulder, gently shaking him, "damn it, Damon, wake up before Pomfrey comes in here and catches you."  
  
One minute she was talking to him and the next she was over the back of the bed, pinned to it by his hands gripping her wrists and his legs keeping hers from moving. His eyes were opened but clearly unseeing. Scared of what he might do, Roe wiggled and stopped as she could feel the evidence she did not want to know about of her action causing parts of his body to pulse.  
  
"Wake up, Damon!" Roe demanded into his closest ear and with a swift movement she was let go of.  
  
"Bloody hell, Granger, couldn't you just punch me like a normal girl?"  
  
Damon was rubbing his ringing ear at her shout. Seeing her sit up, her breezy hospital gown barely covering any of her as it had ridden up to high on her thighs and the back was open to show off the bra and peek of matching white underwear. Damon could barely see her blush in the moonlight lit room but smirked all the same.  
  
"Nice underwear, Granger. Very cute."  
  
"Oh, drop dead, Malfoy." Roe shot back, standing up and calling the spell that would close the hospital gown together.  
  
"Sorry to disappoint, Granger, but I have no plans to do that anytime soon."  
  
"Pity."  
  
Damon widened his smirk.  
  
"Stylish. Thinking about starting a trend, you sure are in those an awful lot."  
  
Roe narrowed his eyes at his clothing reference.  
  
"Why are you here anyway? You are gonna get in trouble if Pomfrey finds you."  
  
"This is the thanks I get for bringing your bloody, broken body here instead of leaving you in the Transfiguration corridor. I can't see why Potter bothers."  
  
"You brought me here?"  
  
"That's right, Granger, me."  
  
"That still doesn't explain why you were snoring in the chair."  
  
"I do NOT snore."  
  
"Sure you don't," Roe teased, "those sounds coming out of your mouth were not loud, echoing noises that could wake up the entire castle if we weren't in the most isolated wing."  
  
"I don't have to take this, Granger," Damon told her, "I thought we had a truce."  
  
"We do but that doesn't mean I can't still rag on you, what fun would that be if I stopped that?"  
  
"True."  
  
"So stop evading my question, Malfoy, and tell me why you were watching over me."  
  
"I can't just sit there and have it not have anything to do with you?"  
  
"I don't see any mark, wound, or protruding part of you needing immediate care," Roe added with an impish grin, "although I think that below your waist might need to be looked at."  
  
"Funny."  
  
"I thought so."  
  
"Get back into bed, Granger."  
  
"Who are you? My father?"  
  
"I don't see any resemblance between old Snape and I so I'd say no."  
  
"Then back off. I have to go talk to James."  
  
"I am sure that Potter can live through the night without you," as her mouth opened to protest he closed his left hand over it, "and I am not taking no for an answer, Granger. How do you expect to get better if you don't do what you need to?"  
  
She just glared at him.  
  
"Come on."  
  
She pulled back.  
  
"No. I have to…" Roe stated and felt herself lifted, "I so hate this male chauvinistic attitude of yours. You can't just make me do things by picking me up all the time."  
  
"You are being stubborn," Damon pointed out.  
  
"Have I shocked you?" Roe mocked, "Little old me, being stubborn, who would have thought."  
  
He set her on the bed and kept her there as he pulled the covers over her.  
  
"You know this is the first time I've put a female to bed and wasn't going to be joining her."  
  
"Somehow I didn't want to know that."  
  
Damon chuckled.  
  
"Well, at least you didn't hurt your head. Wouldn't want to miss all those wonderful sarcastic come backs, now would I?"  
  
"I don't know, you tell me."  
  
"Sure you want to know, Granger?"  
  
No trusting how that intense look of his was making her feel like fairies were flying around in her stomach, she shook her head.  
  
"Coward."  
  
"No, I'm not, Malfoy."  
  
"What happened to Damon?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"I heard you call me Damon, twice actually."  
  
"I did not."  
  
"Yes, you did."  
  
"When?"  
  
"When you were trying to wake me up."  
  
"I would never call you that."  
  
"No?"  
  
"No. You are Malfoy, plain and simple."  
  
"I always thought of myself as handsome and complex."  
  
"Shows how much you know."  
  
"Good night, Granger."  
  
Damon stood up from sitting next to her bed and went back to his chair.  
  
"What are you doing?"  
  
"What's it look like? I'm going to go to sleep."  
  
"Here?!"  
  
"No, in the Gryffindor Tower, yes here."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Did we not just go over that?"  
  
"Yes but you are still staying?"  
  
"Why not? Besides with you planning on making a sprint to Gryffindor Tower the second I leave to talk to the great Potter I think it's best I sleep here."  
  
"Evil Ferret." Roe muttered.  
  
"What was that?"  
  
"Nothing." Roe fibbed, "hey, Malfoy, who gave you the shiner?"  
  
"Shiner?"  
  
"Black eye."  
  
Malfoy touched the eye and shrugged.  
  
"Seems Weasley thought I put you here."  
  
"Sebastian did that to you?"  
  
"Know another Weasley that has a strong right hook?"  
  
"I thought you were talking about Winnie." Roe shrugged.  
  
"Carrot Top? Not bloody likely."  
  
"Just a thought," Roe said sweetly, laying back.  
  
"Granger?"  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"Who did that to you?"  
  
Roe cringed not wanting to answer.  
  
"Granger?"  
  
"I don't know, Malfoy. I didn't see them." Roe lied.  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Good night, Malfoy."  
  
"Night."  
  
But it was along time before either teen fell asleep.  
  
~  
  
Roe felt better two days later, again missing classes and having plenty of work to occupy her time and place on the bed. Fighting with Pomfrey she wasn't allowed out of the infirmary for another day and only then with limited mobility.  
  
"You are seriously hurt, young lady, and you aren't going anywhere."  
  
"Go crying out loud!"  
  
"She's reduced you to tears already this morning, but it's not even noon yet." James's voice greeted as he came around the curtain that blocked her bed from the view of the window into the infirmary.  
  
"She's working on driving me insane!" Roe called leaning forward to see Pomfrey only smile and go around the corner into her private office, "but other than that."  
  
"Same old Roe."  
  
"Hey, Jamie, can I talk to you?"  
  
"Sure," James sat on the edge of her bed, pushing some of her History of Magic work out of the way, "what about?"  
  
"Marielle."  
  
James lifted an eyebrow but said nothing.  
  
"I know that you like her," Roe almost choked on the words, "but she's bad news."  
  
"Roe, I know that you and her don't get along but that doesn't mean she's bad."  
  
"James, she isn't who she seems."  
  
"She's an Animagi?"  
  
"You are so dense sometimes!" Roe shouted, "No, I'm talking about her behavior. She's all sweet and nice to all you guys but when she's around other people its like she is a completely different person. Almost like she's schizophrenic."  
  
"What is this really about, Roe?"  
  
"It's about Marielle, Jamie. She wants you."  
  
James seemed to be amused by her announcement.  
  
"And that is reason to believe that she had multiple personalities?"  
  
"You aren't listening to me," Roe decided right then to show him the mark, and lifted up the sleeve to show the snake mark, "You see this? She did this."  
  
James blanched as he saw the horrible mark.  
  
"That's a Death Eater symbol."  
  
"No kidding."  
  
"How could she…"  
  
"I don't know. She touched me, the night of the party. The ring and my necklace seemed to throw off her touch before she could complete whatever the mark was supposed to be. It started out as a black claw mark, not bruises but actual looking claw marks on my arm."  
  
"That was over three weeks ago."  
  
"I know."  
  
"You've kept this from me for three weeks?"  
  
"I didn't want you to worry."  
  
"Not worry? I'm your friend, Roe, it's my job to worry about you."  
  
"Plus I wasn't sure you'd believe me."  
  
"Why wouldn't I?"  
  
"I see how you look at her," Roe admitted, lowering her head, "she has you so wrapped in her looks that I thought you'd think I was saying it cause I was jealous or something."  
  
"Roe," James touched her other arm, causing her to look at him, "I would never think that. Sure you might do some very crazy things but I don't think you'd accuse her of doing that if she hadn't. You aren't like that."  
  
Roe smiled lightly.  
  
"She poisoned me and she's the one that did this to me," Roe referred to her ribs and head, "she isn't someone to fool with."  
  
"Did you tear up her shoulders? She came into the classroom after you were missing and said she got attacked by Fang."  
  
"I don't know how I did it, Jamie, it was like she made me so mad I couldn't think of anything but the need to hurt her back. I felt so cold, like all the warmth went right out of me and I unleashed it at her."  
  
"Have you told Snape or my dad about this? Or Dumbledore?'  
  
"What? That one of the students from Beauxbatons is slowly killing me? I can see now that they'd stop the Yule Ball from happening and make everyone miserable, more reason to get those hostile stares in the hallway."  
  
"So you'd rather sacrifice your own health and peace of mind to keep everyone else happy?"  
  
"Wouldn't you? Honestly, Jamie, if you had to face this wouldn't you?"  
  
"I wouldn't want to do it alone and I wouldn't have hid it from your friends. We don't want to cause you not to trust us or confide in us. As much as Sebastian is hot headed he would do anything to help, as I would, you know that."  
  
"Including hitting Malfoy." Roe mused, giggling softly.  
  
"Even that. Though I think he enjoyed that."  
  
"Malfoy and I have come to an understanding, Jamie, he's not as bad ass as he likes everyone to think. He even stayed in here last night and watched over me while I slept."  
  
"Malfoy did that?"  
  
"I know. Weird isn't it?"  
  
"Weird isn't the word. Bazaar seems a little more appropriate."  
  
"Are you going to the Yule Ball?" Roe out of the blue wondered.  
  
"Actually," James put a hand behind his neck and rubbed self-consciously, "Marielle said she needed to talk to me about that later today."  
  
"Promise me that you won't let her touch her, any possible way. I don't want you hurt. I'd never forgive myself."  
  
She felt tears weld up in her eyes and sniffled to keep them away.  
  
"Roe?"  
  
"Yeah?" She pushed a runaway tear off her face.  
  
"Would you like to be my date for the Yule Ball?"  
  
"Really?"  
  
"I thought since maybe you'd like to show everyone just how much you love to dance," James teased as he knew she hated it, "and give them something to talk about."  
  
"Gossip mills run mild around here."  
  
"So is that a yes?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
He leaned forward and kissed her forehead.  
  
"Get some rest Roe, don't want you all bandaged and hurt at the dance, whatever would the gossip mongers think?"  
  
She grinned at him as he left and feel back on the pillow behind her. She didn't see the reflection of Malfoy in the window until it was too late.  
  
"Malfoy!"  
  
She wasn't answered and she wondered why he had been there.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Look another chapter out so soon….I am on a roll…I decided to change this title cause they aren't headed to France just yet…..but the next one will have them going to France and what happens (big surprises!) at the Yule Ball. Appreciate all feedback!  
  
January 23, 2002 


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